The Golden Flower of Gravity Falls
by ravenclawoutcast13
Summary: After discovering Dipper is going to be Ford's Apprentice, Mabel runs up Mt. Ebbot and falls into the Underground, filled with dangerous monsters, and a strange new power. But everything has it's price... Her's just so happens to to be Buttercups. Flowerfell/Undergrowth AU. I OWN NOTHING PLEASE RATE AND REVIEW!
1. Prolouge

**Prologue**

* * *

MABEL'S P.O.V.

I was running.

I didn't care to where I was going or when I would stop, I just had to get away... Get far away from Dipper...

He was suppose to grow up with me! Today went from good to bad, and from bad to worse.

First Candy and Grenda can't go to our birthday party, then I find out how high school is going to suck, and now Dipper isn't coming home with me.

Today is just the worst day I have ever had... Ever.

So I just ran with nothing but my bad day outfit. After the walkie talkie thing, I changed into it, which consisted of a blue sweater with two light pink lines in it, a pair of blue jean shorts, grey tights, and black knee high boots. I also took off my headband and let my hair hang loosely as I ran up the mountain side of Ebbot until...

"Whoa..." I muttered out as I stared into the deep crevice that stood before me.

Unlike the bottomless pit near the Mystery Shack, you could see the bottom and it would certifiably be a fall to death if you fell in there. I took a step back, not wanting to be any closer to the pit than needed be...

"Mabel!" I shrieked and tumbled backwards into the pit, seeing the Time Travel guy look terrified as I feel backwards into the casum.

I then felt my world go dark as I hit the earth.

* * *

I thought I was dead...

But instead I found myself in this black space with these words glowing in orange, 'Continue' and 'Reset'.

I pressed one the 'Continue' one, but as soon as I did, I heard a girl whisper to me.

" _Heh. Another human falls down here huh? Oh, you're quite DETERMINED aren't ya? Almost as DETERMINED as me when I was... Well, that was MY power long ago, and I'm not quite happy with another soul having it... Especially such a pasny like you..._ "

Then the whispered moved to the other side of me and said, " _Alright have my power... The power to come back from death, the power to SAVE... But know this, everything has it's price, hehehehe... **NOW WAKE UP!**_ "

* * *

I gasped awake, finding myself lying in a small meadow of golden flowers.

I looked up and saw that I was at the bottom of the cavern, staring up at the world above.

I brushed back my bangs a little bit to see a bit better when my fingers slit across something attached to my temple.

I pulled out my phone and pointed the camera towards me and stare in shock.

There on my left temple of my forehead was a small golden flower growing from my head.

What on earth was going on?

* * *

A/N: Yep... Flowerfell Mabel... You're all going to kill me for the feels this fic will inflict... But it was on my brain so I had to write it down. So... Enjoy?


	2. Fallen Down

**Chapter 1: Fallen Down**

* * *

DIPPER'S P.O.V.

"And there! The Rift is repaired to where Bill can never break it!" Ford stated as we finished up our work after hours of working through the night, all the while me feeling guilty about Mabel.

She knew this was a once in a lifetime opportunity but... I guess she would miss me a lot and well... Video chats and visits aren't very helpful making missing someone less...

I sighed and said, "I'm going to talk to Mabel, maybe she's cooled down after some sleep... Any maybe she'll forgive me..."

He nodded and said, "Perhaps I can speak to her as well and put some of her fears to ease."

I nodded and we made our way upstairs, to see Stan frantically calling on the phone, "She's not there either?! Do you have any clue where she might be at?! Thanks anyway Candy, I'll give them a call."

He hung up and went to dial again when he took notice of us. "Dipper! Thank god, have you seen Mabel?" He asked frantically.

I shook my head and said, "No... Why?"

"She didn't come home last night, and none of her friends have seen her either... I getting really worried something bad might have happened."

My heart sank right then and there... She never came back... Because of our fight, she never came back...

I whispered out, "Oh my god... This is my fault... I fought with her... And she ran off... I-... I should have gone after her... I should have stopped her... I should have-..."

"Stop it now Dipper."

Ford looked at me and said, "That's in the past Dipper, right now let's focus on finding your sister."

I sadly nodded and headed out the door with my two great uncles, praying that Mabel was alright.

God I hope she's alright...

* * *

FLOWEY'S P.O.V.

"Ummmm... Hello?" I heard a voice call out, from the next room.

I cringed knowing it was probably a monster looking to hurt me... Again...

I hid behind one of the various rocks in the rooms looking towards the Ruins when I took note of the the footsteps... They were coming from Chara's grave room!

I turned around and there standing in the doorway of the room was a human girl. Unlike Chara, the girl's hair was long and wavy to the point it reached her waist, but she like me, Chara, or any kid of any kind, wore a striped sweater (blue and pink in color). But the one thing that threw me off was the small Buttercup neslted at the temple of her head, not her hair, her head. How did it stay like that?

I shuffled a bit and she turned towards me revealing her deep and warm brown eyes, staring right at me.

I smiled a bit nervously and said, "H-Howdy... I'm... I'm Fl-Flowey... Flowey the fl-flower..."

The girl's eyes lit up and she gave a dead on grin revealing the pieces of metal on her teeth (Chara told me about these... Braces I think).

She replied happily, "Wow! A shy talking flower! You're soooooooo cute and cool Flowey! Like the second coolest thing I've ever seen! My name's Mabel, Mabel Pines. It's really nice to meet you!"

To say I was shocked by this girl's demeanor, would be an understatement. This girl was the single nicest creature I had ever encountered! And possibly the most hyper...

I smiled softly and said, "Yeah... Nice to meet you too Mabel..."

She looked around a bit and asked, "Um, Flowey can you tell me about where I am, what you are, and/or possibly how I survived that fall from the top up there?"

I sighed and said, "You might as well sit down, it a LONG story..."

* * *

 **ONE LONG STORY LATER (BECAUSE I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE WRITING THE INTRO SCREEN OF THE GAME)**

* * *

"So you and all the other monsters are trapped here due to the barrier which is also keeping me in here too and because of that they all went a little murdery crazy and they are more than likely pull my soul out of my body and try to kill me? And if I fight and/or kill them, I'll gain EXP or Execution points, and Level of violence because of the 'kill or be killed' ideals? By the way terrible acronym on the LOVE part." She stated back to me.

I nodded and said, "Pretty much... And yes but it was the only word we could get for damage name."

"Okay, I get all that, but how did I survive the fall? You never answered that question."

I nervously shuffled and said, "Well... Sorry to answer your question with a question but... How DETERMINED are you?"

She tilted her head and said, "Weird, the dream voice asked the same thing?"

"Dream voice?"

She then proceeded to tell me about a voice who sounded a lot like Chara... Okay this voice was definitely Chara, only they had the power besides me... And the only person I knew who talked like that.

But what was this about a price? I never had to give up anything to SAVE or RESET...

I looked at Mabel and said, "Well that power that Ch- The voice talked about, allows you to come back from death if you're killed. To be technical... You didn't survive the fall... You died and your DETERMINATION brought you back at the SAVE point in the gr-garden. It's fueled by your DETERMINATION and as a human your DETERMINATION is much greater than that of monsters. Which allows you to use that power over them..."

Mabel's face turned to a grim look of horror and she whispered out, "So... I died...? As in death, grim reaper, six feet under, pushing up daisy, died...? Oh my god... I actually died! I-I... I really died...!"

The girl curled down into a ball crying with big fat tear drops rolling down her cheeks sobbing out inaudible mumbles about her dying.

I came a bit closer and brought up one of my vines to comfort the girl.

She whispered out, "I-I... I'm still here and yet... I DIED..."

I placed a vine on her shoulder and said, "I doubt it would be of any comfort but... I used to have that power... DETERMINATION... I've died hundreds if not thousands of times..."

If anything, that made her sobs and trembles worse.

I looked at her and said, "H-Hey, th-think of this way... You're alive now, so you can still keep living right, grow up and all that?"

She looked up at me wiping some of her tears and said, "I don't really want to grow up now..."

"Wait, why not?"

She replied with a scratchy voice caused by her sudden tear downpour, "I found out what high school is really like, I'm going leave my friends behind, and my twin brother, Dipper, isn't coming home with me when the summer is up... If this is what growing up is like, then I don't like it..."

A few silent tears slid down her cheek as she said, "I just wish this summer could never end..."

I understood this girl's pain, I felt the same when Chara was with me and my family but... It ended before it's time...

She sighed and said, "Dipper, Grunkle Stan, and Great Uncle Ford are probably worried by now... And your sure there's no exit for humans around here?"

I nodded and said, "The only exit is in the king's castle which... Is on the other side of the Underground... But to get there we'll have to go through-..."

"Greetings small one~!"

I curled on to Mabel's boot as she turned to see what had become of my mother, Toriel. Her black and red royal robes were in tatters and her fur coat was messy and stained with various things (hopefully cooking ingredients) ((Scratch that, fruit juice, hoping so much that it's fruit juice)).

Mother smiled at Mabel and said, "It has been so long since a human has fallen down. My name is Toriel, I'm the keeper of the RUINS and I assist those few humans who have fallen down. Shall I guide you through the catacombs?"

Mabel peered down at me slightly looking for my advice. I gave her the 'go ahead with an added but be wary of her' look and she nodded.

Mabel gave a kindly smile and said, "Yes please, and it's nice to meet you Toriel. My name is Mabel Pines..."

* * *

MABEL'S P.O.V.

"Well that was... Different..." Flowey stated stoically as he rode on my shoulder as I sat down on the bed Toriel gave to me.

We had just arrived at Toriel's little house after all the puzzles, traps, and monsters that I got around via escaping, talking, and mercy.

During the whole trip I learned how the save points worked via Flowey's instructions and... Through some fights with Napstablook. I ended up fighting him three times, two of which I died in battle and went back to my save point in the room before.

But after we cheered up the ghost and convinced it not to kill me (again) Flowey and I made a startling discovery.

Two more flowers had bloomed at my left temple, right next to the first one. Did they grow as we progressed or did something else cause them...?

Flowey thinks it's because I died that many times...

I personally am hoping it's not the latter... I don't want to remember how many times I've died down here.

I lied down on to the mattress looking up at the ceiling, thinking about everything between the whole 'dying and coming back' thing and the 'Dipper is staying in Gravity Falls' thing.

I began to try to think more in depth when I noticed the flower petal out of the corner of my eye which in turn began to bug me like no tomorrow.

I gently go to pull the flower off... When my whole body began to writhe in pain. I finally let go of the flower and all the pain stopped...

These flowers... They're growing out of me and it's painful to lightly pull on them. Removing them is out of the question for now.

Flowey looked at me and asked, "You okay? That looked like it hurt..."

I nodded and said, "Just don't pull or cut the flowers on me... They're painful when it's tried..."

I stared up at the ceiling and whispered out, "Hey Flowey?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you... have any siblings?"

The flower grimaced for a moment and said quietly, "Well... I did... A long time ago... They got really sick... And they died..."

I looked at him and said frantically, "I'm so sorry! I should have brought it up!"

"No it's fine... Why ask through?"

I sighed and said, "Well like I said earlier, my twin brother and I... We got into a big fight before I fell down here... Hate to ask this but... Did you and your... Sibling? You never really told me a gender... Fight about stuff?"

He looked up at the ceiling with me and said, "Chara was different than any other being I had ever met... They were my protector... And before you ask again, Chara was non-binary... They didn't want to be a boy or girl, which was perfectly fine with me and my parents... They were my strength... Sure sometimes we fought about stuff, some stupid, some serious... But at the end of the day they had my back... That is until they... They..."

The flower began to tremble with tiny sobs.

I brushed my hand over the flower's petals and said, "Shhhh... It's okay Flowey... I get it... It hurts to talk about them... But I get you... Dipper is to me, what Chara was to you... A protector who always had my back... And with him staying in Gravity Falls while I go back to California... It just seems like he's... "

"Betraying you...?"

I nodded and Flowey said softly, "Chara betrayed me too..."

I looked at the little flower as he stated, "They... They ended up killing not only them self but... Me too... I wasn't always a flower Mabel... But due to experiments and so much pain... I came back... Like this..."

I looked at the flower and said, "Flowey..."

"Asriel..."

I raised a brow and he repeated, "Asriel... You can't say it in public but... My name was Asriel..."

I smiled softly, "And mine is Maribeth Annalise... Mabel is just a nickname I prefer over that really long name..."

The tiny flower looked at me with a teary smile and said, "It feels...Nice... I finally have someone to talk to... Thank you Mabel..."

I nodded and said, "Thank you too Asriel."

* * *

 _(And so begins our decent into feels... Let me know what you think in the comments! Til then, bye-bye~!)_


	3. Blessing or Curse?

**Chapter 2: Blessing or Curse?**

* * *

FLOWEY'S P.O.V.

37.

That's the number of times Mabel died at the hands of my Mother.

37 deaths... 37 new flowers... Which in turn, confirmed my theory...

The flowers were a death counter, a mark for every death she endured down here. They had grown to the point where her left eye was nearly covered in the flowers, and part of her left hand had some blossoms growing on it. Which it turn gave Mabel a bit more depression along with determination to make it to the surface.

I told Mabel about the barrier in Dad's castle and she was determined to get there and free everyone.

Her exact words were, 'No one deserves to be imprisoned like this... I want everyone to feel the sun, to breathe the fresh air, to enjoy the world that I do... So I'll free you all!' That led to her asking to leave the ruins which in turn let to my Mother's torturous battle style and unique cooking ingredients.

Mabel wouldn't fight no matter what Mother did or how much I begged her. She was stabbed, burned, sliced up, and gutted on multiple occasions and in the end... She found my Mother's dormant heart and reached her compassion... Her MERCY...

She let us go... And wished us the best of luck on our journey.

Now me and Mabel made our way out of the door and into the snowy outskirts of Snowdin. Mabel shivered a bit and looked at the snow in awe.

She giggled and sung out a bit, " _~Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the cold is so delightful. But as long as you hold me close, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!~_ "

I looked at her with brow raised and she said with a giggle and a sad smile, "When it snowed back home, me and my brother would sing this and play out in the cold til we had red noses and cheeks. It just came to me."

I smiled a bit and said, "It's a pretty song..."

"yo."

We turned towards the bridge to see the last monster I wanted her to meet...

Sans, a short skeleton with one hand in the pocket of his black pants and a lazy grin on his face, single golden tooth at the side glinting in the light. He also wore a large warm looking coat with red lines going through it, and had a golden save point around his neck, with his red eyes glowing bright.

I hid a bit behind Mabel's head as she looked at him with a curious glint in her eye.

"what'cha got there, sweetheart?" he asked, looking at me.

Mabel doesn't answer but gives him a patient smile. He chuckles at her and holds out a hand, "don't you know how to greet a new pal?"

Mabel took a moment before she dragged her eyes down to the bony appendage that was being extended.

She gave a cheery smile lifted a hand, slowly, before grasping Sans' and said, "Nice to meet y-.."

Her body began to seize up and shake after gripping his hand. She felt to the ground, blood leaking from her lip and her beginning to haze up-eyes looking up at Sans.

"didn't anybody ever tell you?" he drawls out, as she began to fade.

"in this world, it's kill or be killed."

And then when I blinked, we staring at the closed doors of the Ruins again.

Mabel looked at me, a new flower finally had blinded her left eye.

"You okay?" I asked as she looked back towards the ruins door.

She whispered out with a single tear sliding down her cheek. "No. No, I'm not okay..."

* * *

This time, she whirled around before Sans could speak and doesn't take his hand when he extends it to her. She just clutched me tighter to her chest seeking protection for me and herself.

"kinda rude leavin' a buddy hanging, don'cha think?" Sans asked.

Mabel shakes her head and said, "You never know what to expect..."

He clicked his…tongue or whatever. His mouth never opens, even with how long I've known him. I don't know how that works with speaking but that's one of life's mysteries I guess.

"so, where ya going?" he asked as he stuffs both his hands in his pockets and walked past Mabel and through the bars on the bridge. It's wide enough for both of them to cross so I suppose it would work.

Mabel didn't move and just looked at him, looking unsure of what he might do next.

Sans huffed, "you wanna freeze out here, honey, be my guest."

And then, as if on cue, Mabel shivered a bit, pulling me closer and I gladly share in her warmth. She took careful steps until she's passed the bars and beside Sans and said, "I've been out in worse."

The skeleton made a noise of satisfaction and continued walking right beside her as she walked down the snow covered path. "there's a town further ahead. Snowdin," he stated, "ya headed there?"

Mabel frowns for a second in thought and then states, "I'm going out."

"out?" Sans echoed, "out where?"

"Out of here," she said and then point up to the ceiling of the snow filled cavern.

"that's kinda ambitious, sweetheart," he stopped in his tracks and Mabel (for some reason) followed his lead.

"especially with the folk around here. See, I'm a sentry around these parts and I'm supposed to capture a human," he stated as he played with the hem of his jacket, "but if you're not dumb enough to trust everybody, i guess i can let you slide every now and then."

I noticed as Mabel shifted her weight from foot to foot nervously, like some form of bad habit from stress.

Sans motioned his head to the side, "now, papyrus, my brother. he's a human-hunting fanatic. in fact, i think i can hear him coming now."

In the distance, there was faint familiar metallic stomps, and Mabel's head snapped to the side, her eyes went wide at the blurry smudge of red up ahead in the snow.

She looked at Sans and said, "Your b-brother...?"

"good luck, kiddo," Sans closed one eye socket slowly in a wink, "papyrus isn't a fan of mercy. especially with humans..."

* * *

MABEL'S P.O.V.

It took me 27 deaths and in turn 27 flowers sprouting onto my left forearm to take notice the huge boulder at the side of the path to hide there when Papyrus approached once again.

Thankfully, Sans doesn't give our location away, distracting his brother with hilarious puns ( _"i've been doing a ton of work. a skele-ton." "SANS!"_ ) until he leaves, grumbling loudly about his brother's laziness.

Despite our initial meeting, I liked Sans for some reason... Not quite sure why but I liked him like any of my other friends or family.

I finally peeked out a minute later, looking at Sans with a small smile. While on the other hand Flowey was scowling at them.

Sans shrugged and turned towards the revealed path. On one hand, Sans has killed me (once and I had to say a Joy Buzzer death was not expected) and will do nothing to save me should I be in danger, but on the other hand, if I managed to avoid the danger, Flowey and I are home free and he doesn't stop us.

Neutral. That's the perfect term for him. He is completely indecisive, like when when I can't choose between boys or sweaters.

"Do you think he'll be back?" Flowey asked me softly looking down where Papyrus had left.

I nodded and said, "If that scalding he gave Sans is any indication then I say yes."

Sans waited for us to step out of our hiding place and looks at us with his jagged grin.

"heh, guess you got lucky," Sans said.

I looked down at my hand, where the flowers were now peeking out of the sleeve of my sweater. It's was a miracle Sans hasn't asked me about it. Maybe I'll pass off as some sort of flower monster at this rate. Yeah! I'll be Mabel the flower fairy monster!

I looked up the road and saw the faint lights in the distance.

"Snowdin?" I asked pointing the way ahead.

Sans nodded, "yeah, want me to take you there?"

I took a step back, unsure if I should trust his ever growing neutrality. The skeleton laughed and said, "i know a shortcut."

He extended his hand and I look it over before carefully taking his hand. Then in the blink of an eye I found myself standing in front of a huge banner that says 'WELCOME TO SNOWDIN' adorned with Christmas lights in various colors. There are a few monsters huddled around a tree, as well as a few shops in the area.

Flowey and I both let out sighs of relief. Sans spreads his arms around. "welcome to snowdin," he stated in a some what sarcastic joy, "pap's not usually here since he's constantly patrolling, so i guess you'll have some time to rest for a while."

I nodded as took a look in the inn a few windows down.

"Thank you," I stated, then pointed towards myself and asked, "Why are you helping?"

"helping?" Sans did an impression of raising an eyebrow, which once again eludes me what I knows of physics from Dipper and Ford's rants, because Sans is supposedly made out of bone. Bones aren't pliable but hey it's cool.

"nah, kid, you're helping yourself. i'm just watching from the sidelines and letting it happen."

"Why not take me to your brother?" I asked softly.

Sans tilted his head to the side. "hmm," he shrugged again, "you're funny. heard ya trying to stop yourself from snickering when you were hiding from papyrus. you're lucky that pap has a hard time hearing people over the sound of his own voice."

I maybe imagining it, but I hear there's an undercurrent of bitterness in Sans' voice.

I smiled and said, "Well tibia you are a puny skeleton after all."

He chuckled and said, "good one sweetheart..."

"Mabel."

"huh?"

"My name's Mabel and this is Flowey. We never got the chance to introduce ourselves."

Sans smirked and said, "that so... well, you heard my name plenty of times so no intro for me... i'll just leave you two to it."

The skeleton gave one wave for goodbye before he continues on ahead. I stared at his retreating form for a second before I made my way to the inn.

Something about him... I can't put my finger on it but there's something that draws me to him.

I told Flowey about it and he said, try not to trust him too much.

I rolled my eyes and let out a yawn. It was time for a good night's sleep.

And the hope of having even just one more pseudo-ally in this whole disaster fills me with DETERMINATION. (Progress saved)

* * *

 **~DREAM~**

* * *

 _I opened my eyes to see nothing but a black space in every direction with no one in side._

 _"Not quite Maribeth."_

 _I turned around to see a child around my age, with shoulder length brown hair, pale skin (excluding their dimples), and soft red eyes. The child wore a sweater much like mine only in yellow and green along with a red heart shaped locket which gave me no clue to their gender._

 _The child smiled at me and said, "Hello Maribeth or as you prefer Mabel... I believe we've already met before."_

 _I then recognized the feminine sounding voice emanating from them._

 _"You were the one talking to me when I fell! The one talking about the whole DETERMINATION power/ flower curse deal-o!"_

 _The child nodded and said,"Indeed I am Mabel... You may call me... Chara... Chara Dremurr... And Mabel..."_

 _I watched as Chara's scalra turned black and goop seeped from their tear ducts like and said, " **I have a proposition for you...** "_

* * *

 **~END DREAM (FOR NOW...)~**

* * *

A/N: BUM BUM BA BUM! Chara appears in Mabel's dreams and Sans in finally in the picture! Death/Flower Count so far: 62... Things are getting interesting... And more dangerous! Until next time... Bye bye~!


	4. Sans the Unaligned

**Chapter 3: Sans the Unaligned**

* * *

FLOWEY'S P.O.V.

Mabel did wake up in the morning and proceeded to wake me up as well.

Thankfully none of the villagers have tried to kill her... yet. They're cold and give me and Mabel and me hard stares, but that's something we can deal with.

I was used to it and Mabel as I've learned has a cheer that despite her situation she seems to brighten anyone's day even after her depressive states from time to time.

But today since she woke up she seemed a bit shook up.

We finally trudged out of Snowdin with me riding on Mabel's shoulder, both of us shivering in the cold.

There wasn't any clothes in the shop, and when asked if they had any stock at all, they just gave her a curt "No." So Mabel's sweater seemed to be the only source of warmth that we had at the moment so we were going to have to grin and bear it.

Then I noticed something light red in the distance, obscured by the falling snow that was starting to get harsher, and as soon as I told her, Mabel began to mildly panic that it was Papyrus and she was going to die once again. When we did get a little closer and see that the stature is shorter and there's the golden glint of the save point hanging around his neck, Mabel's shoulders sag in relief.

Sans was the one sitting at the sentry station, chin in one hand as he leaned out the window instead of his more psychotic brother.

"Didn't think you'd be up for going this far," he said with one eye close winking at her. Mabel shrugged and said, "Well this is the one direction that will lead us out."

He snorted and stated, "Thought you'd want to stay in Snowdin. You know: warmth, safety, food. Pap only goes there every now and then and if you're lucky, you'll never run into him." Mabel shakes her head and points up, "I need to go out Sans."

Sans stared at her for a few seconds before shaking his own head, "You're really set on that, huh?" The little pinpricks of light in his sockets flickered to the flowers that were covering one side of Mabel's head and he hummed.

"There's a lot of puzzles – traps, up ahead designed with intentions to kill," he said nudging in that direction, "Pap set them up for humans or anyone who gets to the point of pissing him off. You get past them fast enough, you might be able to get out of Snowdin before he comes back."

Mabel turned to the path ahead and nodded to herself. I touched one of my leaves to one of her hands holding me at her shoulder. The girl smiled at him before she turn back to Sans.

"Thank you," she incline her head downward slightly, before continuing her walk forward.

The last thing I see of Sans before she pass the station is his mildly surprised look, and the last I hear is his tiny laugh and the words, "Nobody's ever said that before to me..."

Well that wasn't surprising since it basically was a kill or be killed world down here.

It took her at least half an hour to get through the first trap (several mines in the snow that electrocuted anytime pressure was applied), and half of that was spent playing 'guess which spot NOT to hit' with me. Mabel threw rocks at a few areas, while I extended a few vines to feel the ground for anything and then Mabel would walk, agonizingly slow, for fear of setting something off. The XO puzzle would have been easier, if it weren't for the fact that if she got something wrong, the ground would crack, and even when she reset the puzzle, the crack was still there and she needed to solve it before the ground caved in.

An hour after that, we met two hooded figures (dogs, as I told her) that snarled threats and swing their axes at the human girl without abandon or mercy. Mabel gave up trying to pet them and ran instead saying, "I know from experience, do not make a mad dog madder! It will get bad... Really bad... Oh no..."

The thing was she ran right into Papyrus. The skeleton seemed a little shocked seeing her, glancing at the flowers at the side of her head, before he frowned.

"Human," is all he said before Mabel's soul was pulled out of her body and on to the battlefield, and with a huge bone cutting through the center of it.

* * *

MABEL'S P.O.V.

We were back in the Snowdin inn.

"We need to hurry," Flowey said as soon as I bothered to open my eyes after another painful death at the hands of Papyrus, "If we hurry, we can get past him. We know how to solve the traps now."

I began to hum a soft unfamiliar tune that filled my mind. Where did it come from? It sounded a bit sad...

"Mabel!" Flowey yelled.

I pushed myself up to sitting position and looked at him.

"Mabel…you want to get out, right? See your family again... right?" He asked, probably having concerns for my sanity at the moment. All of this might be too much for me to bear so he's trying to help... Sweet but...

I hesitated, but then nodded. I sighed and said, "Yeah Flowey... Just... Thinking about a bad dream..."

* * *

Sans was still there in his sentry station when I came back, chin in hand and looking as bored as he's looked like since we've first seen him.

He said the same things he said before, and I thanked him again.

This time however, Sans just laughed.

That's when I knew something was wrong here.

Did he really remember?

Or is it just me thinking he did?

* * *

I quickly passed the electric trap, the 'X'O' trap, and outrun Dogamy and Dogaressa (I had learned their names when they called out to each other to catch the human before it dodged and swerved to somewhere else) with time to spare. The next trap was a bunch of spikes with the switch hidden somewhere in the snow, and I only solved that because of Flowey's attempts to feel the ground and the trees with his vines for any niches.

I then ran into Papyrus once again. This time I dodged immediately, which threw the skeleton off-guard for a few seconds.

"Great job, Mabel," Flowey whispered.

With his attack done, I hit the SPARE option to him hoping he would accept it. Papyrus frowned deeper at me and called up several bones to materialize in thin air again and launch them right at me.

I dodged one, two, and ducked at the third that passes my head by a hair's width, but then a sharp pain went through my leg sending me down to the ground screaming out in agony.

"Mabel! Are you oka-... Oh no..."

I twisted my body to look at my leg – pinned to the ground by a sharp bone – and I look up to see several more hovering in the air, poised to hit me.

The first bone hit me in my back, making me scream more and causes my body to arch upward which in turn caused me more pain. The second hit me in the arm, and the third cut straight through my soul.

But then came the worst one... The last one...

The last one stabbed through the back of my head head causing me to LOAD once more.

* * *

I shot up in the inn bed and immediately patting the back of my head, feeling for any wounds there.

Of course, there's nothing, but I can still feel the phantom sting of something breaking my skull open.

There was something cold there now. Colder and softer and thinner but wider than my hair strands. I tugged it a little and winced with familiar pain.

Another flower.

So far, the things have only taken my left forearm and the left side of my face, but the back had just sprouted one.

"Another one?" Flowey asks in a small voice.

I nodded and said, "It's spreading off my left side to the back now... I don't want to think where it would spread next..."

Once again I got myself situated and made my way to Sans' sentry station.

When I got there, I asked the lazy skeleton, "How long does it take for Papyrus to come back to Snowdin?"

Sans looked at me questioningly and Flowey did the same. "He should be in Waterfall right now,"

Sans started, "Undyne usually checks the second half of Waterfall. So depending on what he's thinking, he makes rounds in a few hours. Never goes into town unless he needs it though."

"Like what?" I asked tilting my head to the side.

"Sleep," Sans replied, "We need sleep sometimes. Food."

"You eat?" I asked tad bit excited.

He snorted and replied, "'Course we do. Would be a shame to pass up on Grillby's."

"Grillby's?" S

ans leaned back a bit in shock. "Wait," he squinted as much as a skeleton can, which isn't a lot, "You never went to Grillby's?"

I shook my head.

Flowey nudged my stomach, "Mabel, what are you doing? We'll get caught by Papyrus at this rate."

"It's okay," I whispered back, "I'm making a new friend."

"You stayed in Snowdin for a while and you didn't go to Grillby's?"

Sans actually looks offended.

"Breakfast?"

I replied swiftly, "The inn's food wasn't cheap and they wouldn't sell me winter clothes or most anything at the shop... So yeah, no breakfast..."

"Jeez," Sans hopped off his seat and then stepped out of the station, "You plannin' on starving yourself out here, sugar?"

I replied, "I was hoping to find a vendor that would sell me food at a normal price instead of overcharging me for being human."

"Come on," Sans stated, walking towards me, "We're going to Grillby's."

Sans offered his hand to me, again nothing in it, and I once again took it.

Then in the blink of an eye we were at Grillby's.

Grillby's is just like the rest of the shops in Snowdin, although significantly warmer.

I relaxed and wandered into the restaurant standing behind Sans. The other patrons gave Sans a glance and then turn back to their own business. They didn't even spare me a look, which is favorable at the moment due to their... Un-friendly appearance.

The source of the heat within the building, turned out to be the bartender – and from how Sans addressed him, the owner of the establishment. Grillby's entire head was a ball of flame with glasses (which was totally awesome!)

Sans looked at me and asked, "So sweetheart, what do you want?"

I looked over the menu and said, "It all looks good... I'll just get what you're having, since you must know what's good."

He nodded and told Grillby to bring out two orders of fries. Soon he returned with the hot fries in hand and put them in front of us.

Sans picked up a bottle from his side. "Mustard?" He offered.

I eyed the bottle, looked at the fries and then shook my head. "No thank you."

Sans' grin got wider, if that is possible.

"Well, more for me," he then proceeded to drown his fries in mustard and Flowey lets out a small, disgusted noise from where he's placed on the seat next to me. I mechanically turned to my own fries and eats, forcing myself not to look at Sans until he decided that his fries have been mustardized enough and then drinks the mustard straight out of the bottle.

I looked around for the ketchup instead (since that scene just set me off mustard for a while) and Grillby seemed to notice my plight, since he grabbed the red bottle from the far away end of the bar and handed it over to me.

"Thank you," I said with a smile.

That seems to take Grillby aback for a few seconds before his flames glowed a little brighter. I'll take that as a good sign.

Sans had reacted a little similarly whenever I thanked him. Was no one polite around these areas? That would totally suck to not know kindness!

The fries actually are pretty good, definitely better than Lazy Susan's.

The last I had eaten had been in the Ruins, and I'd died quite a few times since then so it's been over twenty four hours since my last meal.

My stomach clenched a bit when I started eating too fast and Flowey tapped my side with a leaf and told me to slow down. I nodded and took small bites out of my fries until my stomach finally settled down.

Sans had already finished half of his tray and doesn't look too bothered by the disgusting amount of mustard on it.

"Food's good, yeah?" he asked. I nodded and gave a soft smile.

"Told ya it'd be a shame to pass up Grillby's," he said with a grin, "No one else makes the best fries here. Of course, this is the only restaurant in Snowdin, so when you remember to eat, I guess you'll be dropping by here."

I paused mid-pick of a fry. I shook my head and said, "I'm not…staying Sans."

"Hmm?" Sans looked at me the same way whenever I say that.

"Out," I repeated once again. I clenched my other hand and said, "We're getting out."

"We?" Sans leaned forward a bit to look at Flowey, "You and your little flower?"

"Mmmh," I nodded. I looked back at the skeleton and asked, "What about…you? Don't you want to get out too? See the stars? Feel the sun? Breathe the fresh air? Be free?"

"Heh," Sans returned to eating his fries, "Sure do, sweetheart. Why do you think we're on a hunt for humans?"

I tilted my head in confusion. Why would they need a human to get to the surface?

Sans waved a hand dismissively and said, "Just... Just finish your food, sweetheart."

* * *

FLOWEY'S P.O.V.

Sans said that Papyrus would be by Snowdin now, although whether he's going to enter town or not was unsure, so Mabel went back to staying in the inn.

She was actually running low on gold – the inn's a little overpriced in my opinion – but it's either that or freeze in the snow and risk dying once again. I could already tell the flowers are getting too annoying for her, especially with half of Mabel's vision gone, so it's not worth it to risk death right now.

We set out the next day instead.

Sans wasn't at his station, she get passed the traps, once again outran Dogamy and Dogaressa, and then proceed to solve several more traps without Papyrus disrupting her progress.

"Thank god," I breathed as she finish the latest trap (a bridge with several weapons hanging above it, dog included. The weapons dropped the moment she stepped onto the bridge and it was by sheer luck that Mabel had run fast enough to get to the end and I had grabbed onto the ledge by my vines to get her and me to the other side.) and looked ahead the path.

There was a raging blizzard that's obscured our vision, but there was no other places we could stay in.

The bridge was destroyed, so we couldn't return to Snowdin (even if we wanted to). Mabel coughed weakly and squinted, trying to make anything out of the whirlwind of snow.

"Nothing so far." She told me.

"Behind us is a gaping chasm that leads to nowhere, so we've got no choice but to head forward." She added confidently.

Mabel ran into the blizzard headfirst, one hand around me and the other shielding her good eye. The faster we got out, the better.

From what I saw her boots were starting to sink into the white slosh at her feet, dragging her down, but she pulled her legs up and trudges on despite how much the environment wanted to knock her down. Finally I saw a glimmer in the endless field of white.

"I see something!" I declared and Mabel held me closer, still trying to run through the slush towards the object.

After a few minutes, the snow started to lessen and allowing Mabel run easier, although she still kept one of her hands up.

"Shit." I hissed out.

Papyrus was standing in the way, his red cape in stark contrast against the white snow, but Sans was standing right next to him too, his hands in his pockets with the lazy grin he always had.

I saw Mabel's clench her fists.

"So she really did come," Papyrus said.

Mabel lowered her head. She must have made the realization that Sans might have ratted out us. She gave a sad glare at the shorter skeleton, who just killed her easily once again, although less painfully since the moment Mabel was hit; she stumbled, letting the skeleton land a few more hits that killed her quickly.

We woke up in Snowdin again. She honestly hadn't saved often.

Mabel rolls over and goes back to sleep, even as I calls her name. I checked her stats while she slept.

* * *

 **MABEL PINES**

 **Full Name: MARIBETH ANNALISE PINES**

 **LV: 1**

 **EXP: 0**

 **HP: 30/20 (thanks to the inn benefit)**

 **ATK: 5**

 **DEFENSE: 4**

 **Twin Sister to Dipper Pines**

 **Under Flower Curse**

* * *

But the last one was the one that got me...

* * *

 **She can't remember how to feel determined anymore now that there's a new flower by her right temple**

* * *

SANS'S P.O.V.

It's two days later that Mabel actually got up and ventures out of Snowdin again despite dying to my bro- I meant Boss... Again.

She had discovered that there was no use asking me about Boss, since the information is doubtful, but she still listened as I spoke anyway.

What's her deal?!

The straw that broke the camels back however was before she left again, she say thank you once more.

"Why do you keep saying that?" Flowey mumbled.

I felt fists clench as she passed by.

"Hey." I growled out.

Mabel frowned at me speaking. That was another pattern break on my part. Did she notice this too?

I hopped off my seat and stepped out of my station. Mabel turns to face me seeing that my face was set in a deep scowl, head tilted downward so that my eye sockets were shadowed.

"What's your deal, huh?" I asked, "What's with the sugary-sweet schtick you've got going on?"

Mabel frowns further in confusion and said, "Schtick? It's not a schtick... That's how I act..."

"Do you think you can just get out of here by being good to everyone?"

I quickly materialized several bones out of thin air behind me. Mabel took a step back, but my red magic wraps around her ankles, working its way up to her body until Mabel is lifted up the air and Flowey is dropped onto the snow.

"Mabel!" The flower cried.

Mabel flailed around uselessly, as she still continued to drift upward and she yelled out, "Sans what are you doing?! Please stop! We don't have to do this!"

"Or are you trying to let us think you're good?" I asked in a hiss, "And then, at the last moment, you kill us when we're most vulnerable?"

"Help!" Mabel tipped forward and reached down to Flowey.

I raised my other hand and the flower was coated in my magic in one second and thrown onto the trunk of a pine tree the next.

Mabel gasped in horror, "Flowey! Please don't be hurt!"

"Let me tell you, kid, if that's what you're aiming for, then that's not going to work!"

I moved my hand again and the bones behind me pose toward Mabel.

"And if it's the other way around; didn't anybody ever tell you? In this world..."

The bones all flew at the human. Mabel screwed her eyes shut. " **It's kill or be killed.** "

I watched the bones impale her in several spots as she began to bleed HP slowly.

It was dropping fast but not so fast that she couldn't say her last words...

"Bro-Bro? Are you... here? I didn't get out of here... I'm... I'm sorry... I'm... so... sorry... _I-'-m s-o s-o-r-r-y b-r-o-t-h-e-r..._ "

Then the light faded from her eyes once more...

But her last words shook me to the core.

She was calling out to her brother on her death bed... Her brother... With an apology...

Who exactly was this human? Well, this next reset should tell me what I need...

* * *

MABEL'S P.O.V.

* * *

I shot out of the bed screaming bloody murder. "Mabel!"

Flowey used his vines to drag himself off the desk and onto my bed.

I put my hands to my mouth, hunching over as I sobbed as my shoulders shook with the effort and hot tears streaming from my only remaining eye.

"Mabel, it's okay now," Flowey said trying to comfort me, "We're back – "

"It's not okay!" I screamed, throwing my hands down onto the bed, making the foam jump with the effort of the slap, "It was never okay. I…I – "

She cried out, "I've been kind to everyone I've met... I've never hurt a thing and broken not a single law... Why?! Why do they hate me... Why do they hate me so much...?!"

I wiped my eye furiously.

"I'm confused," I said, "And I don't know what to do." I felt my voice break on that last syllable and I let my face fall into my hands once more.

Flowey lowered his head in shame and said, "Me too, Mabel."

* * *

If there is anything I have ever learned, it is that just because you are hurting doesn't mean you have to hurt others too. People do not deserve to be hurt, and so if the world is in pain, a simple act of kindness can sometimes be enough reprieve.

Simple right? Kindness begets kindness.

So three days after I woke up in Snowdin with a new flower at my neck, and I march down the same path to Sans' station once again. Sans looked bored as always, but Mabel has suspicions, especially since his eyes seemed to soften (by a nano meter if anything) at the sight of her.

I let the conversation go as usual, and of course, say my normal thank you.

Sans _flinched_. He does remember! He's just not letting me know yet.

His eyes flickered towards my face and the flower at my neck and then to Flowey who's glowering at him.

"What?" he breathed in shock almost.

"Thank you," I repeated, and then turned to continue on my journey, never looking back.

This time I didn't outrun Dogamy and Dogaressa, and instead end up being ripped to pieces in sheer agony.

I woke up with another flower on my right cheek, too close to my good eye for comfort. If this keeps up I'll be blind.

Sans isn't looking at me.

He's staring at the snow instead, looking deep in thought and troubled.

"Grillby's?" I offered instead of the usual spiel.

That started Sans out of his reverie. "Huh?" he said dumbly.

I motioned back to Snowdin and said, "I'm a bit hungry. Want to grab breakfast with me?"

He nervously nodded and said, "Y-yeah. Sure..."

I had left Flowey at the inn today.

Said that I wasn't planning on getting out of Snowdin yet, but just wanted to stretch my legs.

The flower was understandably skeptical, and then apologized, ashamed that he'd doubted me, the only person in the whole underground who'd shown him kindness so far.

Sans looks distracted the whole way to the restaurant. He doesn't say anything. I noted that he hasn't used his pet names in a while either.

I ordered the normal two trays of fries again and I handed Sans the bottle of mustard, to his confusion, and asked Grillby for the ketchup.

I said thank you again and the bartender looks happy after.

"Where's your flower friend?" Sans finally asked.

"Inn." I replied.

He hummed, "You stayin' in Snowdin?"

I shook my head no and points up like I always do, "Out."

Sans sighed, "You're really set on that, aren't you?"

It took a while before I answered. A sad smile creeps on my face as I idly dragged a piece of her food along a spot of ketchup. "I have people waiting on me... My friends, my family... My twin brother..."

Sans stared at me for a second and said, "You've got a twin sweetheart?"

I gave a soft smile and said, "Yeah... Dipper... He's had my back and I've had his... But we got into a big fight and I ran off and... Well that how I landed in the Underground to begin with..."

From how the lights in his eyes dimmed and how he snorted, I finally think Sans understands why I'm doing this.

* * *

When I set out and end up running into Papyrus and Sans again, I just shook my head sadly and braced myself for my soul to be pulled out of my body. The battle started.

I dodged Papyrus' attacks while Flowey watched my back and warns me of incoming attacks.

The skeleton got fed up and threw Flowey to the side with his magic.

I reached my hand out as if to grab my friend, and that's the distraction Papyrus had made and needs to ram a femur into my arm, effectively breaking and nailing it to the ground, taking me along with it as I screamed in agony and hot tears streaking my face.

I grabbed the femur and pull with all my might, but it's lodged too deep and my arm is barely hanging on to the rest of my body by a thin layer of skin.

This entire time, Sans stood and watched at the sidelines. He watched me as I didn't give him that hateful look I did when I first experienced this, and how I cried out to my fallen friend, and how his brother breaks my other arm, and then my legs with his attacks.

I was breathing hard, red blood dripping from my mouth, staining the flowers at my neck and my clothes, along with the snow underneath me. The dyed slush looks like wings pinned beneath me.

If it wasn't killing me... I would say it was a beautifully morbid scene.

My soul was now in front of Papyrus, pulsing weakly.

"Help," I rasped out, looking up in a blurred vision.

For a brief moment, my eyes flickered to Sans. "Please."

Papyrus then called up another femur and stabs me straight through the chest once again killing me.

* * *

"Didn't work," I mumbled as I woke up for the 87th run this time.

Flowey sighed from the desk. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah," I said, "Me too."

* * *

It became a pattern for the next few runs.

I would go out, find Sans, we'd talk, I'd solve the traps which were getting easier and easier the more I work on them, I'd meet Papyrus and Sans.

Sometimes I would almost get past them, sometimes Papyrus killed me straight away. All the same Papyrus kills me, while Sans watched.

He always watched.

The right side of my neck and cheek were already covered in flowers.

There's always a new one with every death, and me and Flowey had long worked out that they're a death counter. They mark everyone of my failures.

But what Flowey didn't know was **why** they grew to me...

That was Chara's doing...

* * *

 **DREAM FLASHBACK~!**

* * *

 _" **I have a proposition for you...** " Chara stated with the empty blackness in her eyes and the black ooze sliding down her cheeks like gloppy tears, giving the child a monstrous look._

 _I looked at them, slightly terrified and stated, "Wh-What do you mean...?"_

 _Chara chuckled and said, "You want that little curse I put on you to stop right? Walk around like a normal girl again?"_

 _I looked at them as they said, "I can do that for you Mabel but you'd need to do a few things for me."_

 _I rubbed my flower free wrist and asked, "What kind of things would I be doing?"_

 _Chara put on a grin and said, "Well remember that big RESET button? The one only you could access? Well, I want you to reset from the first point when you fell..."_

 _That sounded easy... But what else did they-..._

 _"Then I want you to **dust every monster you meet**..." _

_I looked at her with wide eyes and whispered out, "You want me... To kill all of them...?!"_

 _Chara nodded and said, "Yes, strike them down. Gain their EXP and LOVE! Leave no stone un-turned! **LET THE UNDERGROUND RUN EMPTY WITH NOTHING BUT MONSTER DUST!** "_

 _They madly chuckled and said, "For every monster killed you lose 2 flowers from you curse, and when it's all said and done. You and me will walk on the surface once more! So what do you say **PARTNER~?** "_

 _I stared at their extended hand and looked back into their void-less eyes._

 _"No."_

 _"Good now let's shake on- Wait, did you just say no?"_

 _I nodded and said, "I won't kill them... I will never kill them! That's not me... I won't do it Chara..."_

 _Chara looked down and gave out a low chuckle. "Heh... Well if you ever change your mind, just RESET and let the **Genocide** begin... But do ask you little traitor friend a question... **What makes Buttercups different then all the other flowers?"**_

* * *

 **END DREAM FLASHBACK~!**

* * *

 _Stay determined_ , Chara's voice at the back of my head whispered every time I'd fall asleep to death, _You are the hope of humans and monsters._

They've been doing that ever since the incident and won't stop...

But that was besides the point.

Once, I agreed with Flowey that we need to find a way to get them out of Snowdin another way. Maybe another route. Or maybe by being diplomatic. That had worked with Toriel.

Maybe if I was determined enough and lasted long enough, Papyrus would let me go too. And then I could go back for Flowey.

That proved to be hard during the first try since I fell from the bridge without Flowey to grab onto the cliff and hoist me up. That was an unnecessary death that gained me another flower beside my right eye.

I shifted uneasily and touched the new flower. It doesn't hurt unless you pull on it, but it's annoying and beginning to get too close to my good eye.

I never tried it again.

Sometimes Sans greeted me, sometimes he looked deep in thought and on those days, I'd offer to take him to Grillby's and stop by the inn to leave Flowey there.

No use bringing him around when I wasn't making progress. And the inn was warm. Flowey liked the warmth better than the snow. After all he was a flower.

"Why'd you offer?" Sans asked me on one occasion, when the flowers have covered the majority my left palm and leaving only the fingers peeking out.

"You looked sad," I admitted with a small smile.

He frowned, "What's it to you?"

"I hate seeing someone be sad when I can do something to help them feel better." I said with a slight smile gracing my lips once more.

Sans gave me a strange look and I chuckled.

* * *

When the flowers had taken over three of my left fingers, Sans was the one who offered Grillby's first, apropos of nothing.

He didn't look sad, didn't look bored, he just hopped off his seat and held out a hand. I took it and we were back at the warm bar like restaurant.

I pass him his mustard and he passes me the ketchup. I still thank Grillby when I was served.

"Why do you do that?" Sans asked when the bartender walked away a little brighter with the feint fiery smile.

I looked at him and pointed to myself and asked, "Who me?"

"Yeah, you, honey," he said with a slight chuckle.

I quickly think over how to say this as I placed the bottle of ketchup down on the bar.

"…To be polite," I said, "People don't deserve to be…you shouldn't be rude to people for nothing."

"Doesn't mean you have to be polite all the time," Sans said with a smug look, "You don't even know anybody here. You could just leave it as it is and talk to no one."

" _Can_ be rude," I declared with a coy smile, "Don't want to. Don't have to."

"Huh." Sans eyes me for a second and then raised his bottle of mustard, "Cheers."

I giggled – A genuine giggle- For the first time in such a long time down here – and raised my own bottle of ketchup, "Cheers."

* * *

SANS'S P.O.V.

This time we went go to Grillby's, Mabel's left hand has gone numb with the flowers. I could tell just by looking at her and how she had trouble moving her arm around.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked once both my fries and hers are smothered in our preferred condiments.

"You already did." She added with a smirk.

"Heh," I huffed out good-naturedly.

Sweetheart's got spunk.

I waved a hand toward her, "What's with the…you know?"

"Flowers?"

"Yeah."

Mabel lifted her left arm, although she lifted it's like lifting a sleeping limb. It looked... Uncomfortable...

"Tell you later." She said looking at the flowers a bit sad like.

"You're stayin' in Snowdin, honey?" I asked hoping she would say yes and end this vicious cycle of death...

"No," She said, "Going out. Wanna come?"

That's the first time she has ever offered that... I actually threw my head back and laughed at her question.

* * *

"Going out. Up to the surface."

Mabel pointed upward with her right hand before Boss could pull her soul out into battle. He stopped bringing up his magic in confusion and while I watched, intrigued.

"Wanna come?" Mabel asked.

She was trying to reason with Boss... This wasn't going to end well... Again...

Boss stopped, stunned and then he let's out a fiendish cackle.

"The only ones who are going up are us," Boss said as his bones shimmer into existence behind him, "And we'll be doing that with your soul human."

Mabel's eyes go wide.

Did she really not know?! Oh my god, she's had no idea why Bro has been killing her over and over again...

She was too surprised to move her feet in time and the first bone slammed into her gut, bursting through her back stained with red. Blood trickled down her chin as she cough her final breath for this round.

She had no clue about why we were doing this...

* * *

After the time reset again, I decided to stop by the Inn and peek in on her and the flower.

When I got to the door I noticed it was slightly cracked open and voices were coming through.

"Seven human souls," The flower explained to her while she sat up in the bed, "Seven human souls and King Asgore becomes a god powerful enough to break through the barrier to get us all out." He shifted, "They've gotten six souls…I imagine you know exactly how."

Mabel nodded and said, "I don't want to believe it to be true but... He killed them..."

"They just need one more. One more and they'll be out," Flowey said. He sighed and looked away towards the window.

"I know I should be happy about all of this, but once they're out, they're going to lay waste to humanity. And that's not something I can live with. Knowing I probably could have helped…"

He shook his head and laughed bitterly, "Whatever, I'm pretty useless anyway."

Mabel reached out and touches a petal on one of her flowers.

But this one is new! There was a flower above her eyebrow now and her eye was now nearly covered.

"No," she said, "You're a friend. You're here with me. You count. You're helping me get home and everyone out peacefully."

She... She's trying to free us, without hurting anyone...

Oh god... What have I done to this sweetheart of an angel...?!

Flowey stilled, before he finally broke down crying. Mabel hugged the flower closer to her chest and lets him cry it out, as her own tears swiftly make their way down her face.

Soon I left the hall finding I too has a single stream of red magic dripping from my eye socket...

"Sweetheart... What did us horrible monsters do... To receive an caring angel like you?"

* * *

 _A/N: Flower/Death Count: 113! Mabel has lost feeling in her left hand, blind in her left eye and her right eye is being close to being blinded as well. Well what do you guys think? And how about my play on the Golden flowers curse being Chara's dirty work to start a genocide route? You like or not? Anyways reviews fill me with DETERMINATION!_


	5. Wishes in Waterfall

**Chapter 4: Wishes in Waterfall**

* * *

 _A/N: Yes, the title from last chapter was inspired by natewantstobattle's song Unaligned. Kudos to those who caught that._

 _And to address a certain comment, there is going to be more Gravity Falls mixed into this starting now._

 _And as for Mabel being OOC, it's from her shock of dying over and over to the hands of the monsters and the lingering thoughts of Chara's deal in the back of her mind._

 _Also the next few chapters were heavily inspired by a certain song by by EmpathP on YouTube..._

 _Anyways on with the chapter~!_

* * *

DIPPER'S P.O.V.

"There's no sign of her anywhere Mr. Pines..." Wendy stated as she Soos, Candy, Grenda, and (strangely enough) Pasifica entered the shack after search the town top to bottom for my missing sister.

I sighed with regret and sadness while looking down. It's my fault she ran off... Oh god if something happened to her... I could never forgive myself...

Stan looked at the search party and said, "Alright if in the town is covered then we need to head into the forest... And maybe the mountain..."

"If she's in the mountain then she's in BIG trouble..."

Everyone turned to see Ford walking in the door. He turned to Stan and said, "I checked my old hideaways around the falls and there was no sign of her."

I looked at him a bit worried and asked, "Why would Mabel be in big trouble if she went to the mountain?"

Ford pushed his glasses up his nose and said, "Well to be frank, there's a race of monsters living under the mountain, trapped in a unbreakable barrier. Once you go in, there's no way out unless you have 7 human souls... Right now the monsters and us humans are not on good terms..."

Pasifica raised a brow and asked, "Why not? What besides the barrier make them mad at us?"

Ford sighed and said, "It happened when I first arrived the Gravity Falls all those years ago. A local orphan child had disappeared for several months until one day... A monster came into the meadows in town square, carrying the dead body of the child in question... Naturally the townspeople believed that the monster killed the child and began attacking it... It didn't attack back but instead it smiled and walked back to the mountain with the child in hand. It wasn't until I talked with some of the fey around town I found out who exactly the monster was and what exactly happened..."

He looked down and said, "The child had fallen into the mountain and the royal family had taken the child in... But one day the child got sick, and as a last wish asked to see the flowers in the town square... The child died and the prince... He absorbed the child's soul and carried them to the town center..."

He looked towards the mountain and said, "They killed the Prince of monsters... And their king swore his vengeance of humanity when the barrier breaks... And swears to kill any human to fall in to take their soul and gain ultimate power..."

My heart sank... I hope to God Mabel isn't there...

Stan looked at me and said, "Don't worry kid, we'll find her... Now let's get searching before it gets dark again..."

I nodded and led the group into the woods... Please Mabel be safe...

* * *

MABEL'S P.O.V.

I wandered by Sans' station later than usual, intended on another Grillby hang out just to cool down from getting killed again, but instead Papyrus catches us talking.

Well, in the process of actually starting to talk. Sans was going to wave, maybe he was the one to offer this time, but the stomp of boots makes both of us freeze and Papyrus catches us in what appeared to be mid-conversation.

He frowned and turned to his brother, "A human is here," he started, "And you're not even bothering to catch her?"

Sans said nothing and lowered his hand.

"Were you trying to befriend her, brother?" Papyrus asked with a steely glare.

Sans leaned back into his chair looking to afraid to answer. So I do it for him.

"No," I said looking the taller skeleton in the eyes, "I was trying to befriend him. He looked lonely so I was trying to be nice and offer a trip to the restaurant in town."

Both brothers' heads swiveled towards me.

Thank god Flowey wasn't here to see this or he'd be shrieking at me for being so stupid.

Papyrus tuts me and then turned to Sans. "Capture her, then."

Sans blinked. Slowly. "Wait-what?"

"Capture her," Papyrus repeated more sternly.

"What?" Sans asked, louder this time. His brother huffed in annoyance.

"She want a friend, doesn't she?" he said casually, "And good friends show friends how things work in the neighborhood."

I slightly wring my hands nervously... I have a feeling of where this is going.

I looked at Sans, but he's staring at his brother and sweat is breaking out on his forehead. Does he not want to...

Papyrus sighed. "Are you actually too lazy to do it?" he snorted, "Fine then. I'll take care of the human. I never know why you're still sentry, but I guess it has something to do with you riding off of my success."

"Papyrus," Sans said, but his brother doesn't listen but continue his advance towards me.

"I'm always the one who does everything here. And even when the opportunity presents itself, you act all kind and useless – "

 ** _"Fine, I'll do it."_**

I closed my eyes in defeat for a moment. There goes that idea...

Papyrus looked at Sans and they stare each other down for a few seconds before Papyrus smiled and takes a step back. He mocked a bow and gestured towards me (who's slightly shaking in fear). "All yours, brother."

Sans stiffly got off his seat, out of the station and walked in front of me. I bowed my head knowing what was going to happen next.

Then saw something very surprising...

A row of tears going down his cheekbones before there's was blast of light and I was consumed by fire.

He didn't want to do this...

* * *

"Grillby's?" I still offer to the skeleton who sat at his station.

Sans looked vividly shaken, the light in his eyes wavering, but he managed a shaky "Yeah".

Papyrus didn't catch us this time and we have our meal in peace.

"So, I've got a question for ya," Sans started. I wiped my hands on a napkin and listen carefully.

"Do you think…that even the worst person can change?" He was staring at his empty tray now. "That everyone can be a good person, if they just try?"

He directed his gaze to my flower covered face. There was a flower right beside my eye now and I know for a fact that I am one death away from being completely blind.

I smiled, a genuine one, and nodded.

"Yes. I do believe that... It may take time but... I believe there is good in everyone, even if they don't think so..."

I looked up at Sans and said, "Take for instance me and my brother's friend, Pasifica. She's a snooty rich girl at times and other times she's the nicest person on the earth. My friend Candy calls her Tsundere."

Sans gave a slight chuckle and said, "Sounds like you've got some good friends Sweetheart..."

I nodded and said, "Yeah, but I would like them to meet some of the friends I've made down here too..."

And just like that Sans was silent for the rest of the meal.

* * *

" – I'm tellin' you, this may not be a bad thing."

"I'll tell you what's a bad thing!"

I heard them through the blizzard before I saw them.

"That's new," Flowey muttered. Thank goodness Flowey always remembers the LOAD's. That's what kept me sane most of this time.

"You fraternizing with the enemy!"

I dropped my hand to see Papyrus jabbing a gloved hand to Sans' chest. The shorter skeleton staggered backwards, but took a step back to steady himself and held his ground.

"I am not fraternizing. I am saying we think this through," he said.

His brother laughed, "You can't think, Sans. All you do all day is sit in your post and sleep and eat and be useless."

"That's enough, Papyrus," Sans growled.

"Oh look, he knows how to talk back!"

"They're fighting?" Flowey whispered and turns to me, "Mabel maybe we can run – "

I shook my head. "Papyrus will notice if we do," I whispered, "Not yet. If I die again, I might go blind. We really can't risk that right now."

Sans and Papyrus were still yelling at each other and kept at it.

I began to shiver in the cold and continue wait for them to notice that me and Flowey were here.

When they did, Papyrus grinned, "Speak of the devil."

He summoned his bones to attack me, but then Sans marched over towards me.

The bones disappeared and Papyrus shouted, "What are you doing?"

"To spite and show you that I am not useless," Sans grabbed my good arm and I flinched on instinct, "I'm taking them to Asgore."

I froze. Is he really taking me to die...? But his other actions said, he doesn't want me do die anymore...

A deep growl rumbled in Papyrus' throat, "No."

"Watch me," Sans bit back even more vicious than his brother. The ground pulled out from beneath Sans and I stumbled back.

He was teleporting us, but to where I had no clue.

* * *

When I blinked, we were in front of a sentry station similar to one in Snowdin, but there was no snow around save for the roof of the small building. There's was bright blue flower at the side of it softly emitting a glow.

I felt dizzy for a moment and nearly fell back if Sans hadn't grabbed my sleeve of my other arm to steady me.

"You alright there, sweetheart?"

I pulled away quickly, careful not to drop Flowey.

Sans let me go and held up his hands defensively, "Easy there."

"Y-you…"

I haven't hyperventilated in a long time. I thought I was doing so well, but I was back to having my chest too tight and taking in short breaths. Usually Dipper was the one who helped me through this, but he wasn't here right now... I fell the floor gripping my head as the breathing was getting worse.

Flowey looked at me and said, "Mabel calm down... Take deep breaths... In and out... In and out..."

I followed Flowey's instructions until finally after 15 minutes I could breathe right.

I looked up at Sans who had a look of relief and sadness on his face. "You're really taking me to King Asgore?" I asked not quite believing it now that I'm looking at him.

Flowey extended a few vines towards Sans, ready to defend if needed be. The skeleton spared the flower a glance, but looked back into my only visible eye with a slight smile.

"Would you believe me if I said I lied to my brother, honey?" he asked.

"Why –"

"He was going to kill you," he said, "Had to make use of what I had and get you out of there. Don't think he's going to chase us now except for if he wants to dust me." He laughed bitterly, "I reckon he's always wanted to do that, but I don't go down easy."

"Unbelievable," Flowey breathed in sheer shock.

I looked at him with a hopeful gleam, "You… You're helping me?"

"You said you believed that everyone could be a good person, right?" he shrugged like he always did, "Whelp, I'm trying Sweetheart."

I give him a smile as tears made their way down my face. I finally grip him into a hug (despite Flowey tell me to not to) getting some physical reassurance that he was real and this wasn't another nightmare this place has instilled into me.

I smile to myself. Determined once again.

* * *

 ***After Receiving a new ally and finally getting away from fighting with Papyrus fills you with DETERMINATION.**

 ***Progress Saved.**

* * *

SANS'S P.O.V.

She sneezed for the umpteenth time as we waded through the water.

The waterfall was gushing strong and Mabel was soaked up to her hips. If it wasn't for the fact that I was holding her steady, she would have been taken by the current by now. The falling rocks weren't helping either. Neither is the fact that she's been taken from a blizzard to somewhere with no snow in sight, and then dipped waist-deep water.

Another sneeze came.

Flowey looked at her worriedly.

I may have never personally been sick (perks of not having a nose) but I know when someone isn't quite well...

But for humans it might be different. I'll have to wait and see.

Once we were on dry land again, Mabel sat down to rest her tired legs and gives another mousy like sneeze.

"You okay?" Flowey asked her from her shoulder.

Mabel shook her head. "No," she said, "I might be sick... Can't really tell yet..."

She shivered involuntarily and said, "It's a bit cold too."

It's was a few minutes before Mabel finally got up and continued walking with me, and when she did, the human girl was staggering and shaking like a leaf in a hurricane.

I couldn't bare to see her like that. I quickly took off my jacket and slipped it over her shoulders.

"Here," I said softly. Mabel turned her head towards me revealing her usually pale skin had a bit of redness to it.

I wasn't looking at her. I was definitely not looking at her (at least that's what I was telling myself).

Mabel put her arms through the sleeves and brought my jacket closer soaking in the warmth.

"Thank you."

She yawned and gently fell into sleep, missing the smile I had given her.

This sweetheart of an angel just makes my day... No matter how many times the day has repeated.

* * *

Most of the monsters that we encountered around Waterfall sniff the air and stare at Mabel for a few seconds before they scurry off once they register my presence.

I had said basically nothing and just walked on, Mabel's flower hand clasped in mine and we occasionally stopped to let the kid catch her breath.

She has been breathing heavily for a while now... Maybe I should worry about this...

Flowey shifted on Mabel's shoulder and kept on muttering things to Mabel, and the human girl nodded, but I could barely make out words in the middle of unintelligible babble.

"Wait," Flowey said at one point.

I stopped and it's all the girl beside him can do to not fall on her face. I quickly caught her with my free hand.

"You okay, honey?" I asked, brushing hair out of her good eye showing me those lovely brown eye of hers, almost being devoured by the flowers now.

"She's heating up," Flowey said at the same time Mabel nodded and then slowly sunk to the ground to sit.

I whispered, "She sick... Dammit..."

On cue, Mabel sneezed again. She sniffed and rubbed her nose.

"Sorry," she said.

Flowey's expression fell. "It's not your fault, Mabel," he said.

The human girl continues sitting on the ground covered with bio-luminescent grass.

I quickly scanned our surroundings for a minute before finally taking a seat beside her and leaning back, her weight supported by my arms.

"Let's stay here for a while, yeah?" I offered.

Flowey gave me a thankful look. Mabel nodded again tiredly.

It was risky trying to stay in one place like this. Papyrus might be right behind us, or Undyne – or maybe for once in my life, my brother has decided to trust me that he will deliver the human to the king. Papyrus might insult me all he wants to, but traitor has never been on the list. This counts as treachery, he knows that.

But the monsters do not deserve to destroy this girl's soul for our freedom. All else, yes. But not this one. This one is confusing and bright and red and Determined, but it was also warm and kind and polite and forgiving and everything else that made Mabel well for lack of better words Mabel.

I barely know kindness, barely know politeness, barely know forgiveness. All mistakes are punishable by lashing here. Lashing and being kicked around. Sometimes offenders even get dusted for their trouble if the monster is really pissed.

Mabel doesn't dust no matter how many times I've killed her or led her to her death.

I had been furious when I noticed that whenever she died, time wound itself back to make that she never perished.

I've had his fair share of time shenanigans, and has given up hope several rewinds ago, so finding the object of my frustration, well, I wasted no time in killing her then and there, wrapping her in my red magic and watching as she screamed.

But then time jumped back once again. And Mabel acted like it never happened.

I thought of the possibility that the girl never remembered, but the mustard-sharing gave it away. But she always tried to be good to him.

One determined human with a weapon versus one monster with one measly health point already had a clear victor.

But Mabel never fought. She... No matter what... Stayed peaceful...

Besides, it didn't look like the kid was doing the rewinds on purpose. She died, and then time jumped.

If anything, the flowers on her had grown more numerous and the human girl looked even more tired.

Mabel tipped to the side and her head landed on my shoulder making me jolt in surprise and the girl pulled back, blinking sleepiness out of her eye, mumbling an apology through a tired yawn.

I paused for a moment, shrugged, and said, "It's okay, sweetheart. We'll be here a while."

* * *

"What are they?" Mabel asked softly through her now hoarse voice.

I resorted to carrying Mabel on my back due her declining health. Poor kid was still wrapped in my jacket and Flowey looped one of his vines on one of her hands so he's conveniently perched on my shoulder.

All he really done is look around for potential danger while I focus on getting us out of here. But back to what was happening.

Mabel was pointing to one of the tall blue glowing flowers. I didn't stop walking but I answered, "Echo flowers."

"Mm?"

"They repeat the last thing they hear," I said.

I stepped to the side as we got near one. Mabel inclined her head towards it, but it appeared she didn't hear anything.

It's good she trying somethings although her temperature has been on the steady rise still.

We made it through the last of the Echo flower fields after half an hour of walking and find a cave.

So far there's been no sign of Undyne, and I'm not about to look a gift horse in the mouth, so we continues on, Flowey still holding his head high to watch for any danger.

We finally pass by a small corridor and Mabel mumbled at me to stop. I nodded my head slightly and halted.

Mabel weakly tried to straighten up and squinted at one of the signs. She quickly made a frustrated noise. "I really wish I had both my eyes in use right now..."

Wait she has two eyes? How come I've only seen the one? Maybe it has to do with those weird flowers...

"A haunting song echoes down the corridor," I read out to her, "Won't you play along?"

"There's nothin'," Mabel slurred and dropped her head back down to my other shoulder.

I continued walking carefully holding on to her a bit tighter.

A little ways off, there was a statue being pelted at by drops of water from the cave ceiling. As long as I been down here (which is all of my life) I've never known where the water comes from, but maybe this part of the Underground was directly under a lake from above or something.

I looked at Mabel and said, "Hey Sweetheart, is their a lake on the side of the mountain or something?"

She sat up a bit drouslely (s/p?) and said, "Yeah... And a river, and a stream and all kinds of water... It's really pretty at sunrise and sunset... It's just beautiful..."

I gave a small smile and said, "Thanks honey, now go back to resting okay?"

She put up no argument and put her head into my shoulder again. We were just near the exit when I took notice of the small bin with umbrellas in it.

I picked one up, since I could hear water up ahead and the downpour might be stronger there. No point in getting all wet.

Then out of no where Mabel said, "Wait," and then picked one up too.

"We're only gonna need one, honey," I said softly.

She shook her head and said, "Go back."

"What?"

"Go back please," She asked softly.

Even Flowey looked confused, but I did as told and went back to the statue room.

I watched in sheer amusement as Mabel opened the red umbrella and stretched her arms out as far as she could to place it by the statue. I was about to laugh when a music box started playing a haunting tune.

Mabel gave a little squeal into the fabric of my sweater. "It's so pretty," she said, "So that's what the sign meant… Glad we came back huh Sans...?"

We stood there for a while until Mabel fell asleep with a content smile plastered on her face.

I stared at the music box for a while before we moved on.

She's really too good for her own good, just going out of her way to make a statue happy... She's truly too sweet.

* * *

Mabel won't wake up.

I been trying to wake her but she still doesn't stir.

I felt a dread in my bones as I touched her skin.

She wasn't warm anymore... In fact, she was ice cold...

I looked at the flower and asked, "Why... Why isn't she waking up...? Is that a part of human sickness? Dammit Why isn't waking up?!"

The flower in question had tears staining his cheeks and said, "She... She dead... The sickness and cold killed her Sans..."

Then everything flashed black.

* * *

I sat there waiting for her to wake up now.

Her eyes were completely covered in the flowers now. As she stirs she looks around confused, and she looked like she was about to start panicking again.

I quickly clasped her hands into my own and said softly, "Sweetheart..."

"Sans? I'm awake? Then... Why can't I... Why can't I see?!"

I felt my soul sink at the statement. She was completely blind now...

She reached up and try to pull off the flowers covering her eyes, but once she snagged the offending objects and pulled, she pitched forward with a loud yelp of pain. I quickly caught her before she hit the ground.

"Steady there," I said softly, "Steady."

"Mabel, you shouldn't pull the flowers," Flowey stated, "It hurts you."

"So that's not just a human thing?" I asked genuinely shocked. I gestured towards Mabel and said, "I thought it was a human thing."

"No, it's not," Flowey said quietly, "It's…it's complicated. Let's just – "

"One flower grows every time I die," Mabel croaked out as she looked on the brink of crying. "One for every death... And now I can't see... I can't see anymore..."

I was in complete and utter shock as the human girl broke into heart breaking sobs.

I let go of my grip on her and felt to the floor landing on my butt trying to comprehend what she just told me. She grows a flower for every death she's gained but there's hundreds of them! Heck when she left the ruins she had dozens!

So many monsters have killed this angel... I even killed this angel... I part of the blame to why she's blind...

Oh dear stars, I blinded Mabel!

"Mabel," Flowey reprimanded, "He doesn't understand, just leave it."

She shook her head and said as she wiped some of her tears away, "No, he does. He remembers it."

She tries her best to turn to where she thinks I was sitting and said, "You remember, don't you?"

There's no answer. None that I could give her that wouldn't be horrible. But she knew?! How?!

"I know you do," she said softly, "Your reactions are always different every time I reloaded. Sometimes…sometimes you'd think about things. Sometimes you look conflicted about things. You remember that I like ketchup with my fries."

I still didn't answer.

Flowey pleaded one last time, "Mabel…"

"When?" I asked making my voice sound deeper and more subdued than usual, "Since when did you know?"

"Since you laughed at when I thanked you the second time," she said softly, "The first time, you were completely shocked and said no one had ever said that to you. The second time around, you were just amused. I…I started thinking about the possibility."

"Are you doing the reloads on purpose?" I asked softly hoping she wasn't.

Mabel shook her head and whispered, "I've wanted to die more times that I can remember since I got where with all the battles and I can't seem to actually do it... I feel the pain of every death go through me and just as I'm about to die... I wake up... At the point where I saved last... Feeling the phantom pains of what killed me in the first place..."

Oh dear stars what the hell have I done?!

There's another heavy pause before I grunted trying not to let my inner turmoil show and started tugging her hand after a few seconds and Mabel and I started walking.

"Flowey?" she asked.

"Right here, Mabel." From my shoulder.

"Where are we?"

"Waterfall," I said in a half whisper, "Near the Echo flowers."

I then stop, and so does Mabel, as she was blind without a guide when I realized what killed them last time... She lacked warmth.

I quickly took off my jacket again and set it on her shoulders, her long hair getting trapped underneath it. Her mouth falls into a little 'o' when she realized what it was.

I took her hand again and said, "Come on, sweetheart. We're wasting glow light."

I don't care what I have to do, I'm going to do right by her... Make up for my mistakes...

* * *

FLOWEY'S P.O.V.

Occasionally, Mabel tilted her head to the side and strained her ears to listen to the Echo flower's whispers.

Most of the people who've wished around here were either dead or have gone far, far away. Or have joined the royal guard in a quest for prestige, popularity and freedom. Well that's what I know about Papyrus.

Sans chanced a glance back to see Mabel's mouth curled in what appeared to be discomfort. He slowed down so that she can move closer before we continued walking.

I shifted on his shoulder and said, "I don't remember the whispers being so noticeable last time."

"We were preoccupied," Sans said.

"What is this place?" Mabel asked gently touching another Echo flower.

"People used to hang out here, to rest," he kept his voice low for the her benefit, "Others liked to wish. Others liked to promise."

" _Seven souls_ ," one flower whispered. " _Seven souls, and King Asgore will become a god_ ," another whispered back making my soul sink.

The flowers promised death to every human that fell into the Underground, whispered freedom to every monster trapped, and plan the destruction of the human race once monster-kind had been set free.

Mabel had one hand holding onto the back of Sans' sweater and shook a bit.

"Don't listen to them," he said, "They're death wishes."

I nodded and said, "Don't worry Mabel. We have your back okay?"

She nodded and said, "When we get to my house remind me to get my brother to help me make you guys some cupcakes."

Sans let out a chuckle and said, "Sure thing Sweetheart."

Once we got to the corridor with the statue, Sans did the same thing as Mabel did before and places an umbrella over the statue.

Mabel smiled and said, "It's such a pretty song... I wonder what's it called."

I looked at the statue wistfully. My memorial statue... Mother's music box... It hurts a little bit hearing it again but seeing Mabel smile like she did when she first got here... Made that sadness no concern of mine.

He let Mabel piggyback again and she held the umbrella so that all three of us could travel easily.

We walked past the looming view of the castle. If Mabel had saw this I'm pretty sure she would have been back to her goofy self when we first met in a second.

"You can see the castle from here," I said beating the skeleton to telling her that. We continued walking as Mabel straightened in attention. "It's huge," I said, "And nice."

She giggles and said, "I really wish I could see it now, the closest I've ever to seeing a real castle was one on a golf course... Dipper got suck in it once looking for a troll. Man, Mom and Dad were mad..."

I looked at Mabel and said, "You never mentioned you parents before this..."

She sighed and said, "Well we aren't on best terms if you will. I mean they sent me and Dipper up here for the entire summer so they could be alone... It really hurt you know..."

But then Mabel let out a dead on grin showing off her braces and said, "But then I met Grunkle Stan, Soos, Wendy, Glenda, Candy and all of my other friends... To be honest... I'd be happier staying in Gravity Falls then heading back to Piedmont in two weeks... But maybe once I free you guys then I could stay and help you guys adjust to the surface and stuff and you guys could help me learn braille and stuff, it'll be amazing~!"

Sans cracked a grin and said, "Well ain't this a change in attitude... Is this what you're normally like?"

She nodded and said, "Around the house, I try to be the sunshine on a rainy day or a better one is, a trip to Grillby's during a kind of bummer day."

The skeleton gave a hardy laugh and smiled at the human girl who was giving him a grin of her own.

When exited the rainy area and Sans returned the umbrella to the next bin we found and I lifted us all up with with my vines up the steep cliff.

I maybe a tiny thing but I can be surprisingly strong when I want to be – Sans turned to me on his shoulder and found me panting. Okay, maybe not, but lifting a human and a skeleton (although he was admittedly light) was an impressive feat for myself.

Mabel walked again this time, her hand still clasped in Sans', and it's in this condition that we run into Undyne.

She looked at their joined hands and frowned.

Sans straightened himself and said, "I'm taking the human to the king."

"And the flower?" she nodded towards me, which I lowered my head on cue.

"Little tag-along."

Undyne snorted.

"We all know you're just after your brother's position," she said getting a fierce look on her face.

Sans on the other hand looked a bit annoyed at the fact they all assumed that's what he was doing.

But she was acting on the rules of the land... The rules of the Underground. Kill or be killed. Trust no one. It was easier when people weren't kind to you and you felt like you owed them shit.

The Captain of the Royal Guard brandished her spear and pointed it towards us.

"I'm doing this so that we can be free," he said, his hold on Mabel getting tighter. The human girl whimpered weakly behind him.

"That may be so," Undyne said, "But whoever brings the human to the king gets to be his right-hand warrior and I'm not giving that up to you."

Fucking competition in the Underground too. You'd think everyone would learn to work together to solve their problems, but it was still every monster to themselves.

He took a step back and summoned his weird looking dragon skulls things, "Well, I can't let you do that either."

Mabel grabbed his sleeve. He doesn't turn to her. "Don't hurt her,"

Mabel pleaded.

Sans momentarily stilled at the stupidity of that request.

We were all about to be killed by the Captain of the Royal Guard, and out of all things Mabel can ask for, it's for said captain's safety? Sometimes I wonder if kindness is another word for stupidity.

"Please," Mabel whispered, "Don't hurt her."

"Mabel," I turned to her and said, "We – "

"No," Mabel cut in, firm. "Don't hurt her. We don't hurt anyone. Ever."

Undyne took the distraction and attacked. Sans let Mabel go to raise his hand and stop the captain in mid-run and then push his hand forward, slamming Undyne back into the wall ahead of us.

"No!" Mabel yelled. She waved her arms around and manage to catch Sans' outstretched arm. "Don't hurt her, Sans!"

Fresh hot tears were streaming past the flowers that are covered her eyes now, "Please."

Sans frowned, but he didn't lower his arm as he stared at Mabel as she lowered her head and cry into his sleeve.

I grabbed them both with my vines, "Come on!" I hissed, "Let's get out of here if you don't want to hurt her."

Mabel snapped her head up at that and started pulling Sans' sleeve, running blindly.

I made sure to pull her back before she tripped and that's when Sans made his weird dragon skull things disperse and helped Mabel remain steady as we ran past Undyne, who's still reeling from the impact of the blow. It probably wasn't enough to kill her, but enough to incapacitate her for a while.

We ran.

* * *

SANS'S P.O.V.

Mabel didn't explain why she didn't want Undyne to be hurt. I didn't ask anymore after the first few attempts only end up with her crying.

Flowey was asleep, tucked in one of the kid's arms, exhausted from using too much magic. Mabel's head was sinking a little. I'm even a little drowsy from not having the chance to rest since the last reload and then nearly fighting Undyne.

So we sat by the patch of land just near the wooden bridge that would take us to the other side of Waterfall.

Undyne hasn't followed us. I probably threw her harder than I thought and she was dead. Or maybe she was biding her time. Or was looking for us in all the wrong places.

But we needed to rest now, because if she was alive, then she will find us later.

Mabel sat beside me and put her head on to my shoulder and this time I didn't mind.

I closed my eyes, just resting but not sleeping.

"We shouldn't hurt people like they hurt me," Mabel mumbled once I thought she was asleep.

I cracked an eye open to look down at her.

She chewed on her lower lip before continuing, "Always be kind." A pause, "Sometimes kindness is all we can give. Sometimes kindness is enough."

I quickly fell asleep with those words repeating in my head like a some sort of mantra.

* * *

Undyne did find us later, and I hauled Mabel to my back, Flowey grabbed onto me and wrapped his vines around Mabel arm and as well as mine so that we were all secured together as I ran.

I could fight, I should fight, but Mabel doesn't want that and he did promise her to try to not solve everything that's thrown my way by violence or a beam from a Blaster.

Always be kind. Sometimes kindness is all we can give. Sometimes kindness is enough.

 _Always be kind._

"Don't hurt her," Mabel mumbled into my sweater again.

"I know."

I dodged the spears Undyne summoned to form in her path. One of the things narrowly hit my jacket which Mabel was currently wearing, but thankfully, it was only the jacket. Not the girl herself.

We reached a dead end and I dug my heels into the wood, skidding to a stop just before we were pushed over the edge. But when I turned back and I only get a step in because Undyne was a few feet away from me.

She dragged her spear across the bridge and I could imagine her grinning smugly beneath her helmet as our part of the bridge fell away and then there was darkness and a splash of water.

* * *

" _Sans? Sans! Sans, wake up, please, I can't – I can't –_ "

I woke up to someone screaming my name above me.

There was a light that was being obscured by something, and when my vision finally cleared, the human girl's face is above me. The top half was obscured by flowers and all, but it was Mabel, the light above her was acting like a halo behind her head, and she was soaking wet and maybe crying but I really couldn't tell.

Flowey was on my chest and he sighed in relief too when I woke up.

"He's awake," the flower declared with relief.

Mabel exhaled and then leaned back. Sobbed and then let out a mix between a sob and a laugh. "Thank God."

I tried to sit up, but I ended up wincing and then lied back down again.

Undyne wasn't coming after us for a while.

Mabel felt around his chest to get Flowey off of me and onto the – bed of flowers?

Yeah – a literal bed of flowers that we have all landed on. The things were thick enough to break our fall. They were gold too. Like the ones on Mabel.

I thought maybe if Mabel laid down here, she'd blend right in with them.

"Mind if we stay here for a while, honey?" I coughed weakly, "I'm a little bone-tired right now."

Mabel giggled and snorts unelegantly. I smiled anyway. Papyrus barely laughed at my jokes.

"Yeah. We're not going anywhere," Mabel said, "I can't see without you anyway."

I fell silent at that. Half of the flowers that have taken over her face was my fault. From my own acts of killing her, to betraying her by ratting her out to my brother, and to even neglecting her health.

She hasn't taken off the jacket since I gave it to her though.

"You're not sick from the water again, are you, Sweetie?"

Mabel shook her head and said, "Nope... Just a bit tired from out _de-fall-t_ plan."

I snickered a bit a her attempt at a pun. It was sure lame enough but not quite there yet.

I made a contented noise and closed my eyes, exhaling.

"Thank you," Mabel said.

I opened my eyes again to look at her smiling down at me. "For what?"

"For sparing her," she said.

I only curled my mouth in that curiosity-confusion again.

Mabel reached a hand up slowly and carefully tried to place it on my cheekbone. I stiffened as she dragged her fingers down my cheekbone and near my mouth.

She laughed weakly, "I wish I could see your face. You feel funny right now."

So that's what's she doing. She trying to see in another way. I looked up at where her right eye once was with regret.

"I was an eyesore anyway, sweetheart," I said softly.

She appeared to disagree as she shook her head again.

* * *

There was a dummy that blocked our path once we started moving again.

It kept on muttering things under its breath and I was half tempted to cut it down then and there since it was getting on my nerves, but Mabel was holding me back so I don't.

We tried to get past it, but it snapped, and started fighting us.

I tried to dodge as best as I could, but the water was hindering my movements and I've still got Mabel and Flowey to worry about too. One shot nearly hits me, but Mabel pushed me aside and took the hit.

I was the one that woke up staring up at Mabel again, although the human wasn't yelling this time.

Her mouth was slightly parted in shock, and when she finally made a sound, she was laughing as she lean back.

I sat up this time.

I asked what she was laughing about, but Mabel just laughed harder before she sagged against me.

I checked her face for any new flowers and found none, so I moved on to her arms and hands. There was a new bloom on her right wrist.

"Let's not do that again, honey," he said.

Mabel nodded, "Yeah," she let out another laugh again, "Let's not."

* * *

Undyne found us again, and Mabel told me one firm "No" when I turned to her to silently pleading for permission.

She didn't even need eyes to see what I was trying to say. She just held on to my sweater tighter.

So I dodged, making sure Mabel was behind me and Flowey was in one of her arms.

The flower tried to block shots as best as he could, taking in damage for me, and I was thankful for that.

Undyne was not letting us get past her that easily, her magic was rooting us in the same spot so I can't teleport us out of here.

But Mabel refused to fight. One mistimed block finally hit me and takes out my one hit point and began the dusting processes.

I felt my world darken as Mabel's screams became more and more muffled.

I blinked and a second later we were back at the corridor with the singular Echo flower standing there.

"Sans?" Mabel asked shakily, one hand raised to touch my face.

I cautiously took it and places it on my cheekbone. "Yeah, I'm right here, sweetheart."

"Good," she breathed in a sob, "Good."

I looked down at her right wrist and found a new flower right next to the other one.

* * *

It was hard to face Undyne with so many people with you and her magic restraining all of us in place.

Time jumped back and back and back until Mabel's right hand was no more, and then the flowers crawled up to her arm until finally, finally, Flowey managed to deflect one attack and Undyne looked tired out.

I wasn't going to let this go to waste. I used this momentary reprieve to grab Mabel and run.

Once we were a good few feet away from Undyne, who was yelling threats behind us, I teleported us a short distance, and then another, and then another – short bursts enough to get us away but not to exhaust me.

Once our feet touch hot solid ground, I finally stopped.

Mabel pushed away from me and I staggered a little, shocked, thinking she was finally was being rude... That was until she turned away and then retched.

I winced. I had forgotten how teleportation can be disorienting to those not used to it.

"Don't," Mabel shuddered and drawled in a shaky breath. There was vomit in her hair and she wiped her mouth with her sleeve, "Don't do that again please... That wasn't fun... Especially with braces..."

"Braces?" I asked curiously.

She showed her teeth and the metal bands and bit stuck to them with bit of the vomit still stuck in there. "My teeth weren't growing in right, this corrects it."

I nodded and said, "Noted and as for the teleporting thing... I can't promise that, sweetheart."

I took her hand and said, "Come on, let's get you cleaned up."

* * *

MABEL'S P.O.V.

Sans had said he needed to get some clean water and a tooth brush to help with the vomit in my braces, so he stepped away leaving Flowey to watch over me in my... Blinded state.

"Hey Flowey... Are we alone?"

The flower replied softly, "Yes? What wrong?"

I replied softly, "Well I have a question for you... It's okay if you don't know the answer but... I think I'm suppose to ask you..."

He sighed nervously and said, "Okay, what the question?"

I then whisper out the question that had been stuck in my brain since Chara asked it. "What makes Buttercups different then all the other flowers?"

Flowey went silent.

I then began feeling around for them and asked, "Flowey?"

"Mabel..."

"Yeah...?"

"Despite their food sounding name... Buttercups are very poisonous... Can make you ill rather quickly... Ingest enough and you'll... You'll..." The flower whispered out, "You'll die and die a very painful and long death..."

My heart sank.

That was their curse was...?

A way to **_kill me_** in the most slow and painful way...

No matter what happens... Am I going to die because of this curse...?!

No... I won't die anytime soon...

Not until I finished what I set out to do in the first place.

I will free them all...

* * *

 _A/N: Flower/Death Count: 212! Mabel is now blind, has barely any feeling in either hand or arm! But Hey Sans is now helping her and she has his coat... And Dipper and the gang are searching for her... But someone else is too... Next chapter will bring lots and lots of feels so have your tissue box on hand... You'll need it..._


	6. The Secret Garden

**Chapter 5: The Secret Garden**

* * *

 _A/N: This chapter is very important... But not the end of the story... So read on knowing feels are a head... Also this chapter was heavily influenced by the Flowerfell song: Secret Garden by EmpathP. So give them some love on YouTube. And I said love not LOVE! Anyways enjoy the feels because you all knew this was coming..._

* * *

MABEL'S P.O.V.

* * *

 _(Sans tells her what in the room if I don't catch myself describing places cause I am horrible at writing a blind person)_

* * *

I couldn't feel both my hands anymore. It's Sans who cleaned me and patches me up, and then took care of Flowey too. I was really glad that he and the flower are getting along now. Well, not exactly getting along, but they were learning to work together.

I still have no idea what were are going to do, really.

I heard the Echo flowers... I know what my curse is doing to me...

Seven human souls and one monster soul in order to break open the barrier. The king has six, and I'm the seventh, and then there was Chara mocking voice in the back of my head insisting that I am the future of humans and monsters every time I die, even though they want me to restart in the Ruins and kill everyone! But I refuse to let them kill them.

Even though the monsters have been horrible to me, nobody deserves to die like that or to be trapped underground. That's why I want to free them peacefully.

Sans didn't know this but I could barely feel my legs too. The flowers already have taken over both my arms and my torso is probably going next, but my legs were starting to get numb.

What if I can get out to the Surface, but it's in this condition?

What if the flowers are irreversible and the poison doesn't effect me?

What if I could never be back to normal again?

What if?

Sans told me that we were making our way to Hotland, and then to the Royal Scientist's lab.

I couldn't feel my feet as we walked anymore even though I know that the flowers haven't eaten them yet.

The scientist's name was Alphys, I gathered, as she hissed, "You," when she saw Flowey.

Even Sans stepped back a little when Alphys started to yell, started to telling Flowey what a traitor he is for helping a human, and then she said venomously, "Do you think your parents would be happy with what you are doing, Asriel?"

And that's when Flowey yelled back at her to shut up, _shut up, **shut up!**_

But Alphys didn't fight us.

Instead there's an explosion of sorts, and Sans was fighting someone named Mettaton. A robot, I thought from what I've been heard. A robot originally built for entertainment and then was modified to destroy humans.

But Sans wasn't letting Mettaton lay a hand on me.

I smiled and said, "Thank you." And I could imagine Sans grin on his face.

All Mettaton did was ask questions and if Sans answered wrong, we would all die. But Sans answered them all confidently, smugly even, from how I heard it, and eventually we were left alone. Alphys had apparently long fled the lab.

I tried to direct my head in his direction and said, "You're really smart Sans... You and Dipper might get along..."

Sans sighed and said, "Maybe Sweetheart but let's get you home so we can find out..."

I nodded and followed the skeleton via his grip in my own. After a while I began to drag my feet as we walked, too tired to muster the strength to actually lift them especially with the numbness rolling through them.

"Hey, honey?" Sans said softly.

I lifted my head and said, "Yeah Sans?"

"We kind of need to hurry. No pressure, but things are going to get a little heated if we lag."

I giggled a bit.

Right, right. The Core is near magma and lava. Or maybe this place was called Hotland? I really can't remember right now.

But it's a good that Sans is telling jokes. He has been telling jokes lately and whenever I touched his face, he felt like he's smiling. Even though Flowey was snorting an "Unbelievable" from the skeleton's shoulder when I did.

So I tried best to walk.

 _Determination_ , they chanted once again. _Determination_ , Chara whispered in the back of my head.

They weren't so active before but now as my legs and the rest of my body beings to grow more and more weary, their voice has appeared more now than even even during the death reloads.

Is this their way of telling me I'm nearing my end...?

There was no doubt that Papyrus and Undyne were still chasing us, that was why we have been walking and walking for as much as I could now.

No more stopping.

Because they all know Sans is a traitor now. And Sans will die if we get caught and it will be my fault. So I kept walking.

And we stumbled upon other guards in Hotland, and I died again, twice, because I was too tired and slow to dodge... I think that I'm losing one of my feet for real now.

Sans was starting to get exasperated, I could tell, and I said, "I'm sorry Sans... My body just... Slowing down now from exhaustion..."

But when Sans spoke again he just sounded sad when he brushed my hair aside and said, "It's okay, sweetheart, it's okay."

Mettaton fights us several times more –it would have been ridiculously fun (besides the potential death part) if I could see, but I couldn't, so all I have to go on are what I can hear, and it still sounded ridiculously fun!

From the cooking show, to the news casting, and Flowey pointed out that I might want to stay out of the spotlight if we don't want Papyrus and Undyne to find us.

Darn-it! I've always wanted to be on shows like that! But Flowey's right... I can't risk it right now...

We finally managed to rest at a hotel. Sans kept me close to him at all times since the monsters don't appear to be very friendly around here.

And I thought about just staying asleep for awhile, but Sans was right. We will be found out, and Flowey and Sans will die if we are caught...

 _Determination_ , Chara chanted once again.

 _The end is coming quickly Mabel... You need to make your choice on how to use that Determination of yours... So tell me Maribeth Annalise Pines, are you going to accept my deal or keep your curse? I want my answer when after you leave the Core... So tic, tock Mabel... **YouR RuNNiNG ouT oF TiMe!**_

I pushed their message in the back of my mind and began walking with Sans once again.

And when we encountered Muffet, she made me reload and reload and reload until my right leg was completely out of commission and I began walking with a limp.

Sans got frustrated and... And he ended up killing Muffet.

I cried and cried and cried... I didn't want her to die! No one should die like I have! No one!

I didn't speak to him a little while, but I didn't force a reload no matter how much I wanted to.

I continued walking, Sans supporting my weight, while Flowey remained on his perch to scan for danger. This time according to Flowey, we were really in the Core, at least that what I think when Sans spoke again and confirmed it.

We fight Mettaton and once again my soul shattered from defending Flowey and we all wake up at the hotel.

And I know that it's my other leg that's going to pay for my death this time.

This time Muffet didn't die. Neither does Mettaton, although Sans kept on growling as he dodged like he'd rather rip the robot apart.

I was very thankful that he didn't.

By the time that we were out of the Core, I stumbled and fell to the ground with a yelp.

I scraped my good knee and one of my cheeks.

My arms are useless, my legs are following suit.

 _Make your choice... **NOW...**_

I sighed and whispered out my choice to Chara into my mind.

 _I'm setting them free one way... Or another..._

* * *

SANS'S P.O.V.

"Shit," I cursed as I moved beside her.

I then paused before slipping one of my arms under her back and the other under her knees, holding her bridal style.

Mabel looked up towards me with her flower decorated face and a fresh bleeding cheek and said, "I'm fine."

"No you're not," I said retorting back

. "It's not your fault Sans."

That sent me silent for a while.

She doesn't blame me?

This angel really is too sweet to have what happened to her happen. And as long as I can help it, it won't happen again.

I then continued walking out of the Core area with the human girl cradled in my arms.

That's when Mabel began to sing a song softly from my arms.

* * *

 _He said, 'Oh Mary, Contrary, How does your garden Grow?'_  
 _'Come with me, and you'll be the seventh maid in a row'_  
 _My answer was laughter, soft as I lowered my head_  
 _You're too late, I'm afraid this flower's already dead._

 _Resetting, as I was with blossoms in full bloom_  
 _Never a chance to pause, with magic to consume_  
 _A shadow walked behind me, offering his hand_  
 _But couldn't understand..._

 _He said, 'Oh Mary, Contrary, How does your garden Grow?'_  
 _'Come with me, and you'll be the seventh maid in a row'_  
 _My answer was laughter, soft as I lowered my head_  
 _You're too late, I'm afraid this flower's already dead._

 _Scattering Petals down the road without an end._  
 _Left on the battleground for the one I call my friend_  
 _Maybe he loved me as took me by the hand._  
 _And tried to understand..._

* * *

"What was that Sweetheart?" I asked softly a bit shocked by the grim lyrics and the fact she was singing in general.

Mabel replied with a smile, "I've been thinking it up as I've been down here... I haven't finished it yet but... It's getting there. Starts out sad and turns happy right?"

"I'll get you to the Surface," I said, "Don't worry. No matter what it takes, sweetheart, I'm getting you to the Surface and we'll have the happy end to your song."

She tilted her head towards my chest and rest a bit while I continue to walk.

* * *

King Asgore might have been a good king once.

No, I know that King Asgore was a good king once.

But desperation and loss can do things to a man.

The kingdom was losing hope, and with the death of both of his children followed by his wife's leave due to her grief, he has hardened and now looks at everything as mere things that can be expended if they reach his goal.

I know.

Because once upon a time, I cared for my brother although Papyrus always was a little ambitious.

Once upon a time, I held out hope for getting to the surface and nobody hurt each other.

Once upon a time, I didn't resort to so much violence...

Then once upon a time, Chara and Asriel died, and Queen Toriel left, and everyone thought, this is it, we are stuck here forever. Unless we take seven human souls and blast our way out of here.

Once upon a time, everyone learned that sometimes murder got them what they needed.

Once upon a time, time started resetting so much that I didn't care anymore how many times I needed to kill human children. I just needed to kill. And eventually I just decided not to because no matter how much I did kill, everything was going to be reset.

Once upon another time, a human girl named Mable with a red soul that sang Determination fell and was kind.

Once upon another time, Prince Asriel Dreemurr's soul was put into a flower by the royal scientist and said prince was currently perched on my shoulder.

Once upon another time, I remembered exactly how being happy feels like and wants to fight for it.

And I want many more once upon the times... I want them to be on the surface with these to at my side...

And I will get us there and I'll do it her way because Mabel...

Mabel being the sweetheart she is brought back my hope.

* * *

FLOWEY'S P.O.V.

I know how to reset and reload, back when I still had that ability.

Somehow, that was transferred to Mabel's soul when she fell, and I felt guilty for being relieved. I could only reset so much to prevent the other children to be killed, you see. And I knew I was weak in magic to defend all six of those who had fallen. So I tried to wind back time again and again until I got tired and decides to just let it be.

And then a human girl falls.

A human girl with a soul as red as Chara's.

A human girl who looks sort of like Chara except with long hair and braces.

A human girl who is determined like Chara.

So I went with her. I helped her.

I was a traitor, but I was loyal to my best friend and sibling whom I promised that I would find a way to get all the monsters to the Surface.

I promised Chara.

And I am not going to go back on my promise when I was being reminded all the time by Mabel's presence despite her being much more kinder than Chara...

Mabel was kind and sweet and wanted peace... Chara only wished to see humanity burn...

But I will get us to the surface but I want us to be peaceful and co-exist with them...

I hope Chara would understand...

So sometimes I died in the middle of battle, hoping to hell Mabel and Sans got out, but that never happened, because she would always reloaded with a new flower on Mabel but I held on.

I sat on Sans' shoulder listening to my father explain why we should do this, and why the humans deserved to be punished, and thought, that no, this isn't what King Asgore would do.

Not the father I knew when I was Asriel, but the enemy I would face.

I defended Sans and Mabel for as long as I can, no matter if Mabel can no longer stand with all the flowers clinging on to her.

We will win and no blood will be spilled... For Mabel's sake.

* * *

SANS'S P.O.V.

Mabel can't stand now. But she pleaded to and Flowey still.

"Don't hurt him. Don't kill him. Spare him. Please."

Asgore looked at her strangely, and I said nothing as he defended.

When a fireball got too close to Mabel, I started to attack.

Mabel can't see anyways so I won't kill the king, I'll just weaken him until he can't fight anymore.

Stupid girl.

Stupid human girl believing in kindness and managing to worm her way into my rib cage.

Stupid me for wanting this girl as a friend.

Stupid fucking circumstances that made everything like this.

In another life, where everyone hadn't lost hope, they all could have been friends. And this entire mess wouldn't be necessary. And sure, they wouldn't be out of the Underground quick, but it would be happy and peaceful.

Flowey stilled on my shoulder for a moment before whispering that he has an idea and then sunk into the floor, roots breaking the cement before he disappeared and leaves me to fight alone.

I cursed, but whatever that damn flower had planned, it was probably worth it. He wouldn't leave Mabel like that.

Mabel was sitting behind me. Hands on the ground, still praying to the stars that nobody got hurt.

She couldn't see.

She couldn't move.

She could talk but her voice wavered at times.

Goddamn kid is suffering.

I struck one blow before Asgore was down on one knee, weaken from our fight.

"Well then?" the king asked, huffing, "Do it."

I still had my bones behind me and I'm still able to call my Blasters to finish Asgore off.

It would be easy.

 _One blast._

One blast and I could kill the king and take Mabel out of here and out into the Surface.

I lifted one hand...

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

And then dropped it.

I turned back to Mabel behind me, picked her up into my arms and faced the king again.

"No."

Asgore looked up in surprise and frowned, "No?"

Mabel moved in my arms and leaned her head into my chest.

She began saying, "Thank you." Over and over in appreciation of sparing the old goat king.

"Always be kind. Sometimes kindness is all we can give," I said, "Sometimes kindness is enough."

Asgore laughed, "That's not how it works around here, boy. It's kill or be killed."

I shook my head and pulled Mabel closer.

"Not anymore."

* * *

We walked past Asgore, tense, but to my surprise the king let me.

He made no move to stand and just kept his head low.

I walked over to the barrier and stared at it.

We needed seven human souls to cross the barrier. Or one monster soul and one human soul.

Whoever gets that gets to cross the barrier.

I looked at the feverish girl in my arms.

"Hey, sweetheart," I smiled as I looked at her.

She was trying to press closer to me, it was almost amusing.

"You still holding on good?" Mabel nodded slowly.

The cement in front of me broke and Flowey emerged.

He had his vines wrapped into a ball and was panting, but he looked at me and then pulled his vines back to reveal six floating hearts of different colors.

My breath hitched.

No, not hearts.

Souls.

The six human souls.

"We can…can cross the barrier," Flowey coughed, "Or at least take one of the souls. Cross the barrier, take one more, come back, take the rest and then break the barrier."

He was shaking badly, "I don't know, just get Mabel out of here or something."

It's a good plan. Take one soul, get another from Surface and then go back to complete the job and free Mabel and monster-kind.

"MABEL!"

I turned towards the barrier to see five humans on the other side of the barrier.

One was a young lady with bright red hair and a plaid green shirt.

The next was a man who was a bit more portly with a question mark t-shirt and a ball cap.

Then there was two identical old men who I guessed to be twins, one wearing a suit, the other wearing a trench coat.

But the one that caught my eye was the boy who looked like a male version of Mabel.

This was him... This was her twin brother, Dipper.

The five ran through the barrier not caring if they were trapped on the inside or not.

Dipper looked at me and yelled, "LET GO OF MY SISTER YOU MONSTER SKELETON THING! WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?!"

"Dipper?"

Mabel sat up revealing her halo effected face directed towards the direction of her twin showing all the flowers spilling over her entire body.

"Mabel! Thank god you're alright sweetie!" The man with the red cap said.

Mabel then asked, "Who's all here?"

The girl then said, "You might want to push the flower crown up to see up Mabel, you'd see me, your Grunkle Stan and Ford, Soos, and Dipper here."

"It's not a flower crown..." Flowey breathed still exhausted from getting the souls here.

"What do you mean by-"

"They're grow out of me... Sans would you mind helping me...?" Mable said motioning me. I gently pushed some of the flowers up revealing the stems rooting into her skin and small little black and green lines running underneath like veins.

"Did he do this to Mabel?! Or the talking flower?! Did you two do this her?!" He brother declared in anger and concerned for her.

Mabel laughed softly and said, "They helped me Bro-Bro... Sans and Flowey... They protected me... Kept me safe from anything that meant me harm... They're friends Dipper... They just want to see the sun..."

"Oh dear..." Ford declared.

Wendy looked at him and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I just realized we entered the barrier and we can't get out without..."

"These?" Flowey directed to the souls.

"Those are..."

"Six humans fell before Mabel... They weren't so lucky to escape the monsters after them... But not only Mabel did it, she did it would hurting a soul. She was something that was definitely needed down here. But all we need to do is send one monster and one of these souls through get one more human soul from somewhere and then..."

"No," Mabel rasped and grabbed my sweater.

"Mabel!" Flowey declared, "We need seven human souls to break the barrier; we only have six."

Mabel shook her head rapidly and clenched her teeth.

Was it painful for her to move now? What was this flower thing doing to her?

"Seven..." She whispered, "We have seven..."

"No, we..." Flowey paused and stares at her with wide eyes, "…don't."

Mabel pointed to herself.

I nearly dropped her.

Her family looked floored and her friends were staring in surprise and sheer horror.

Flowey starred at her, disbelievingly, while I tightened my grip on her, and declared, "Are you fucking stupid? You can't just give up – not after all that – "

"Not…not giving up," Mabel croaked with a cough and a bit of blood came out in the spittle surprising all the occupants in the room.

"I... I can't go back to Surface anymore... I'm nearly covered in flowers now... Hah," she laughed weakly, "I'm dying. Slowly. The flowers... They're buttercups... They're poisonous..."

"Oh god Mabel... That's what they are?! Why are they growing to you in the first place?!" Stan asked looking at her in sheer horror as he apparently recognized the plant.

"...Cursed... I know how to break it... But I won't..."

Dipper then screamed out, "WHY?! WHY THE HECK WON'T YOU BREAK IT?!"

"Because I don't want to kill them all... I don't"

The room fell silent in sheer shock of what she said.

She then said, "...They said... I have to go back... Back to the moment I fell... And dust every monster... Leave none... Complete... Genocide... I won't do it... I won't kill them like... like..."

She moved her head and said, "Like I was killed over and over and over and was brought back again and again by this curse of a power... A flower for each death... Sans and Flowey tried to save me from them but it still happened... I don't blame them... They helped me get back to you guys... and I can help them now..."

"Mabel..."

"Don't say that Mabel!" Dipper stated with tears in his eyes spilling over his cheeks.

Mabel chuckled, "One last thing. Right now hope of humans and monsters determines on this moment... You have to do it Sans. Take my soul," she smiled weakly, "Free everyone and Bro-Bro... I love you and Stan and Ford... Wendy, Soos, Candy, Grenda, Pacificia... even Mom and Dad... I'll miss you guys..."

The group remained silent with heartbreaking looks on their faces.

"Mabel, no," Flowey sobbed.

I watched two drops of water land on Mabel's cheek before I realized I was crying too.

The rest of the figures in the room had tears going down their cheeks as well.

"I won't last long," Mabel said softly, "Please." She clutched my sweater tighter, "Please."

Her red soul flickers in front of her and Flowey started crying harder while the red soul beats in rhythm with Mabel's heart beat.

Mabel's chest was still moving, up and down, but it was getting slower.

I looked at her as the red soul floats near my face.

Mabel then began singing out in a hoarse whisper;

* * *

 _He said, 'Oh Mary, Contrary, How does your garden Grow?'_  
 _'Come with me, and you'll be the seventh maid in a row'_  
 _My answer was laughter, soft as I lowered my head_  
 _You're too late, I'm afraid this flower's already dead._

 _Resetting, as I was with blossoms in full bloom_  
 _Never a chance to pause, with magic to consume_  
 _A shadow walked behind me, offering his hand_  
 _But couldn't understand..._

 _He said, 'Oh Mary, Contrary, How does your garden Grow?'_  
 _'Come with me, and you'll be the seventh maid in a row'_  
 _My answer was laughter, soft as I lowered my head_  
 _You're too late, I'm afraid this flower's already dead._

 _Scattering Petals down the road without an end._  
 _Left on the battleground for the one I call my friend_  
 _Maybe he loved me as took me by the hand._  
 _And tried to understand..._

* * *

I then sung out from my swam of tears;

* * *

 _I said, 'Oh Mary, Contrary, How does your garden Grow?'_  
 _'Stay with me, I can't see anyway that we could go.'_  
 _Their answer was laughter, darkness swallowed them up._  
 _One more time, I'll be fine, sometimes kindness is enough._

 _'Oh Mary, Contrary, How does your garden Grow?'_  
 _'Don't leave me, please don't be the seventh maid in a row'_

* * *

She sung right back a bit softer;

* * *

 _My answer a whisper, soft as he lowered my head_  
 _Set them free, I'm sorry, this flower's already dead._

* * *

Mabel whispered something to me after she ended the tune, but I couldn't hear it, so I lowered my head once again.

"Can you say that a little closer?" he asked.

Mabel was falling asleep, and her soul was getting brighter and slowed in pulsing in front of her.

I needed to shove it back in so she can keep breathing.

My tears were falling faster onto Mabel's face.

But he needed to listen, because she could barely talk now and it would be rude not to listen especially after all she did for me.

"I didn't quite catch that."

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

"Sweetheart?"

The soul stop pulsing the glowed in a vibrant red.

Her chest stopped moving.

She wouldn't respond anymore.

A final breath was released and she was gone...

"Sweetheart?!"

The tears flooded my faces I made the realization she was dead.

I fell to my knees letting out my sobs, not caring who was watching.

Flowey crawled onto my shoulder and sobbed above her.

The humans there too were crying out in their own ways.

Soos hugged onto Wendy and cried onto each other, Ford and Stan were letting out muffled sobs trying their hardest not break down here and now.

But the one who screamed out the most, the one who cried out the hardest along side me was none other than her twin.

Without a monster controlling them, the souls flew up to the barrier and pressed against it making sparks fly.

I watched in sheer agony as Mabel's soul made it's way to the center and pressed along side it...

Soon enough the barrier shattered... As did the souls...

She was really gone now...

And I couldn't save her this time...

* * *

We buried Mabel back at the entrance of the Ruins.

The same place she fell, Asriel said to us.

Apparently her and Dipper's parents had left their home in California according to their neighbors, packing everything and leaving a note telling the twins to never look for them again, leaving the twins in the care of their Great Uncles leaving them to handle the funeral preparation.

Flowey asked them if we could bury her there as a respect for what she did for all monsters and the fact she would have a private grave that was protected.

They agreed and so we let the humans down the roads of the underground, with monsters passing by giving Mabel's casket blessing of magic.

When we finally reached the point, I saw the very same flowers that killed her some tilted away so she could be properly buried.

We delicately set her in the ground and I looked at the faces all around.

Two girls hugged each other sobbing hard.

A blonde girls cried tears under a veil of hair trying to hide it.

A boy with some really big hair and handcuffs off cried trying not to look at the casket.

A group of teens bowed their heads with tears going down their eyes, and in the case of one girl and boy, mascara dripped down as well.

An old man with a long beard and broken glasses took off his hat and bow respectfully.

Then there was this one guy in a grey jump suit and a had a mustache looking hair style let tears fall down steadily as well, but they were tinted with a yellow-ish color.

Finally there was her family and monsters who killed her the most.

Toriel was openly weeping for the girl into her ex's shoulder not caring at the moment while the king silently bowed his head in respect.

Undyne, Mettaton, and Alphys bowed their heads in silence.

My brother on the other hand was next to me standing in a respectful silence.

Asgore explained to the four what she did...

And how she did it so they all could be free...

Papyrus may be a psycho sometimes but he has a respect for those who willingly give something up so he can better himself.

To him, Mabel gave him a new world to live in... And for that he has her at most respect.

Her Great Uncles (at their request 'Grunkle' wasn't to be used since Mabel came up with it) bowed their heads morning their niece.

Dipper was still crying but more softly like myself, we still haven't ran out of tears and honestly I could care less about it...

We all stood there watching her be lowered into the dirt, all the monsters their passing a magic blessing onto the coffin.

When it came to my turn, I pumped out all the magic I could without killing myself in the process and bestowed it upon the coffin.

When I was finished, I whispered out as I regained my balance, "I'll protect you... No matter what Sweetheart."

Soon the grave was covered a tombstone erected. It read;

* * *

 _Maribeth Annalise Pines_  
 _Mabel Pines_  
 _Loving Sister, Niece, and Friend_  
 _Savior of the Underground_  
 _And The Golden Flower of Gravity Falls_

* * *

Flowey said that was where Chara was buried too.

The first human, their sibling, the first red soul of Determination.

And so last red soul was bury next to the first...

And my Sweetheart was finally put to rest...

* * *

 _A/N: ... I'm sorry... There still one more chapter... Tell me what you think... and please don't kill me..._


	7. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

* * *

SANS'S P.O.V.

I visit the entrance to the Ruins every month or so to visit her grave... Been doing it ever since she died 5 years ago.

Sometimes I lay there, staring up at the sun through that small hole above me where Mabel had fallen down.

I thought about finding a way to reload – or reset. Get Mabel back, find another way, but it would be throwing her sacrifice if I did that.

So I visit.

Sometimes Asriel comes with me, sometimes Dipper comes with me, sometimes they both do, and sometimes they don't.

But today was the anniversary of her death, so today both of them came along.

Dipper was now 18 and worked with Asgore and the monsters as an ambassador to the humans since he was Mabel's sister and more suited for the job than anyone. With him being our ambassador we've gotten far in human society.

Alphys, McGucket, and Ford work in a lab in town making inventions combining machines with magic.

Mettaton had gone on to creating a television series about monsters and the underground (he even did a special on Mabel every year on this day).

Undyne and Papyrus had became Dipper's personal body guards, making sure no one hurt him.

Toriel began teaching children at the local school and was beloved for her cooking skills and clever lessons.

We even had our own housing district near the Mystery Shack, which is where

I worked. I was the one showing off the monster mysteries like the Echo flowers, monster puzzles, a Temmie caged by a unlocked cage since they never left unless Temmie Flakes were involved. I showed off my magic a bit, wow the crowd and help Stan, Wendy, Soos, and Dipper (when he's there) maintain the shack.

But through becoming a high government official, he was able to discover where his and Sweetheart's parents ran off to.

Turns out the greedy humans had been hot wiring bank tellers machines stealing millions to where they were going to run to Europe and life their life luxury. They didn't want their children impeding their progress so they sent them to Gravity Falls and left after a month of them being here.

They were caught and took to prison for grand theft robbery, child neglect, and several other laws. Stan said good riddance to the bastards and I'd have to agree good riddance.

But back to what we were doing, we had just entered the ruins and began making out way to the entrance.

Dipper held a bundle of pink roses up to his face and said with a sad sigh, "I can't believe it's been five years since Mabel died..."

I nodded and said, "I know what you mean Pint-size... Seems only yesterday she was trying to befriend me with fries and mustard, singing goofy songs out in Snowdin forest, trying to get me to laugh with her own made up puns... I really miss her... I only knew her for a little while but I miss her more than anyone..."

Asriel nodded from his perch on my shoulder and said, "Yeah she was one of the nicest people I've ever met... I still wish she was here..."

"Don't we all Petals... Don't we all..."

Finally we made it to the grave site... But something was very wrong.

The grave... It's been desecrated! The grave itself was dug up the tombstone tipped over.

Dipper dropped his roses and said, "No... I thought magic protected the grave!"

Asriel replied, "It does! None of the magic barriers put up were broken... Although they seem... weaker somehow..."

I went over to look into the grave site... Mabel's body was gone...

"Who ever did this has her body! AND THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY FOR TAKING MY SWEETHEART AW-"

 _"~He said, 'Oh Mary, Contrary, How does your garden Grow?' 'Come with me, and you'll be the seventh maid in a row' My answer was laughter, soft as I lowered my head. You're too late, I'm afraid this flower's already dead.~"_

Everyone froze at the sound of the soft feminine voice singing...

That song... was the one Mabel sang on her death bed...

Only seven people in the world know the words, and none of us ever dared to sing it (in public... I would sometimes sing to Mabel when I was a bit more depressed).

But then who's singing it?

 _"~Resetting, as I was with blossoms in full bloom. Never a chance to pause, with magic to consume. A shadow walked behind me, offering his hand. But couldn't understand...~"_

We began to follow the singers voices through the ruins going down a path I never looked at before.

How come I never saw it before? It right next to the training dummy, so why didn't I see this path until now?

"He said, 'Oh Mary, Contrary, How does your garden Grow?' 'Come with me, and you'll be the seventh maid in a row' My answer was laughter, soft as I lowered my head. You're too late, I'm afraid this flower's already dead. "

Finally we came into a huge room I never knew was in the ruins.

It rolled like hills and valleys and stretched to be the size of Snowdin... Well the monsters before me did live in here once. And it was covered in the golden flowers, to the point it looked like an ocean of gold with light patches of green mixed in.

Then the voice sang out again, " _~Scattering Petals down the road without an end. Left on the battleground for the one I call my friend. Maybe he loved me as took me by the hand. And tried to understand...~"_

We went into the room but the singing halted completely and wouldn't pick up like before.

Why did this voice stop singing, there's more to the... Of course it's my verse!

"Hey Pint-size, I'm gonna have to make the reply if we want to find this person."

He nodded and said, "Alright just be quick with it... I have a real dislike of this person singing _her_ song..."

I took a deep breath and sung out, " _~I said, 'Oh Mary, Contrary, How does your garden Grow?' 'Stay with me, I can't see anyway that we could go.' Their answer was laughter, darkness swallowed them up. One more time, I'll be fine, sometimes kindness is enough. 'Oh Mary, Contrary, How does your garden Grow?' 'Don't leave me, please don't be the seventh maid in a row.'~_ "

The voice again replied leading us closer to it, " _My answer a whisper, soft as he lowered his head. Set them free, I'm sorry, this flower's already dead."_

We finally made it to where the voice was coming from... And we couldn't believe our eyes.

Sitting in the center of the sea of flowers sat a lone skeleton with long brown hair with little yellow flowers scattered within it made completely from magic.

(my head-canon for female skeletons they can make hair and hair accessories using magic ((think like Lewis from mystery skulls))

The skeleton wore ragged up clothes made up of a pair of shorts, a sweater, some ripped up tights and a pair of boots, with the exception a large black coat which was being worn despite the summer heat was completely fine and not destroyed by age like the other clothing articles.

The skeleton was braiding a chain of flowers together while singing the song out softly in a humming manor with her back towards us.

Asriel looked at her and said, "Excuse me?"

The skeleton stopped braiding and turned around... Revealing the soft frame of her face, the gentle looking, glowing hazel eyes coming from her sockets, and the small metal pieces placed on her teeth that had been falling off.

"No... It can't be..." Dipper whispered out in shock.

"It shouldn't be possible..." Asriel said staring at her.

I whispered out, "Mabel...? Sweetheart...? Is that really you...?"

The skeleton looked at me and smiled as it stood up with a completed flower crown in her hands.

She placed it on my head and asked with a small chuckle, "Flower you today Sans?"

"MABEL!" The three of us screamed as we jumped onto the skeleton girl and gave her a tearful hugs.

She gladly hugged back and we kept like that for a good while.

Once the hug broke we all were smiling like a bunch of idiots and honestly we didn't give a fuck to who saw it. Sweetheart was back!

Mabel looked down and said, "I'm sorry I left you guys like that... But that curse was killing me faster and faster... I wasn't going to make it out of there... I had to free you guys..."

"B-But your soul shattered!" Asriel declared wrapping himself around Mabel's neck bones trying to stay close to her.

She smiled and said, "My soul did shatter but I refused to leave... I kind of pulled my self together and hid my soul in Sans Jacket figuring he would take it back... I wasn't expecting to buried in it."

"The flowers had grown into the seems of your clothes so we left them on instead of desecrating your body Sweetheart..." I told her petting her magic made hair.

"But why are you a skeleton now Sis? God I missed saying Sis so badly..." Dipper questioned smiling like no tomorrow.

She looked at me and said, "That would be the the fault of Sans over here... and the several magic offering on my coffin. The monster magic converted my body and soul to that of a monster. And since Sans would expend nearly every bit of magic he came down here with, it helped the conversion go faster. It took a lot of magic to do it but... A few days ago I woke up as a skeleton in a coffin, dug my way out and made my way into here in my disoriented state."

"But why are you taller now?" Asriel questioned.

Mabel replied with a small hum, "Human bodies still grow to a point after death... Plus the magic helped a bit here and there too."

I gripped her again and said, "You are never allowed to die again, you hear me?! Never! Not a choice sweetheart! You'll be in so much trouble if you" She pecked me on the cheek with her teeth and with a giggle said, "I can promise you that... I can't use my SAVE and RESET powers... But I can do this..."

She held up her hand and glowed her eyes a bit brighter. A flower made of magic spouted from her hand and the petals scattered across the room.

Asriel smiled and said, "Flower magic?"

She nodded and said, "This room didn't have flowers when I got here... Kind of my testing ground you know?"

I smiled again and said, "Sweetheart... Welcome back... We missed ya' so damn much..."

She smiled at the three of us with our grins wide and fresh happy tears rolling down our faces.

She laughed and said, "I'm glad to be back."

* * *

A/N: And done. Bet you didn't expect this turn did ya?! Now Skele-Mabel and the rest of them can live happy ever after. I plan on doing some one shots for this story later on and I'll be doing a audio reading on my YouTube channel: ravenclawoutcast13, so keep and eye on that and thank you all for reading The Golden Flower of Gravity Falls~! Goodnight!


	8. Notice to All Artist!

This is a request for fan-art, for my audio reading of this story on YouTube. Please draw any scene from this story and post it on Deviant Art with my Deviant name tag: ravenclawoutcast13 And it has a picture like my profile picture. I'll make sure all the art is properly displayed and if you don't have a deviant please pm me about getting fan art in. Thank you and I hope to see some good pieces.

Rules:

Must be appropriate (i.e. The T rating standards, no nudity, or smut since this is not that kind of story.)

Must follow the story line and lore behind both Gravity Falls and Flowerfell

And no romantic pictures between characters (there was no established relationships in this story since it was a story of tragedy, triumph, and finding friends in the most unlikely of places)

.

That's all the rules I have for you.

Thank you all for reading and I hope to see some great artwork ahead


End file.
